KCMag_September26_DigitalMagazine

INKED IN HISTORY

How four generations of the Grimm family helped shape an American art form

EVERY SECOND COUNTS

Meet the retired firefighter entrusted with keeping the Chiefs on the clock

SHORT & CHIC

The Petite Frame is filling a big gap in KC fashion

See Hear Go

M AG A Z I N E J U LY 2 0 26

M AG A Z I N E S E P T E M B E R 20 26

kansascitymag.com

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THE CONCERTS, EXHIBITIONS AND PERFORMANCES TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR

THIS FALL

Big Belly Laughs Grandkid Cuddles

Pop-pop’s Movie Night

Cherish More Memories

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Malfer & Associates is a team of real estate agents affiliated with Compass Realty Group, a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.

OUR MISSION

Kansas City is our beat. As the city’s definitive magazine, we bring Kansas City to life with dynamic storytelling, unforgettable photography and design that pops. We’re the metro’s trusted, modern guide—celebrating what works, questioning what doesn’t, spotlighting innovation and curating the very best in culture, food, fashion and city life.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Dawnya Bartsch ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Nina Cherry CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Nicole Kinning FOOD CRITIC & WRITER

Tyler Shane SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Madison McMillen GRAPHIC DESIGNER & PRODUCTION MANAGER

Dominique Kousgaard Parsow ADVERTISING SALES

Angie Henshaw and Brett Miller COPY EDITOR

Kelsie Schrader WEB COORDINATOR

Madison Russell NEWSSTAND CONSULTANT

Joe. J. Luca & Triva Bridges JK Associates, jkassoc.net WRITERS

Nina Cherry, Ted Cotti, Shauna Gilden, Calla Jordan, Nicole Kinning, Ian Ritter, Tyler Shane, Jill Silva and Hampton Stevens DESIGNERS/PHOTOGRAPHERS

Julie Babcock, Zach Bauman, Laura Morsman, Ian Simmons and Dominique Parsow SUBSCRIPTIONS

kansascitymag.com/subscribe or call (913) 469-6700 Scan here to subscribe to our newsletter and magazine.

Kansas City magazine is published monthly by KC Publishing, LLC. No part of this publication can be reprinted or reproduced without the publisher’s permission. Kansas City magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Kansas City magazine adheres to American Society of Magazine Editors guidelines, which requires a clear distinction between editorial content and paid advertising or marketing messages.

INQUIRIES

KC Publishing, LLC 605 W. 47th St., Suite 200 Kansas City, MO 64112 (913) 469-6700 @kansascitymag KANSASCITYMAG.COM

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Kansas City September 2026

@kansascitymagazine

There’s one name in trout fishing, and it is Gaston’s.

America’s #1 trout fishing resort is legendary, luring anglers from coast to coast for the ultimate White River experience.

Come fish in style and comfort as part of the Gaston’s family.

Gastons.com

870-431-5202 • Lakeview, Arkansas Lat 36° 20’ 55” N Long 92° 33’ 25” W

SEPT. 19 • 10am-4pm

CROWN CENTER SQUARE • KCMO • FREE ADMISSION Join us for this community-favorite event, showcasing the artistry of current Hallmark employees and retirees. Interact with the artists and purchase their artwork on Sat., Sept. 19 from 10am-4pm.

Live music, food and drink vendors, Kaleidoscope hands-on activities and more!

© 2026 HMK

HALLMARK.COM/HALLMARKET

Kansas City September 2026

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SEPTEMBER 2026

PHOTOGR APHY BY MAT THEW MURPHY AND EVAN ZIMMERMAN

42 Cover Story

Center Stage KC’s fall arts season takes the spotlight

Road Show Must-see arts beyond the metro

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Kansas City September 2026

Flash Back

Home Is the Hall

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A century of Grimm tattoo history lives on in the West Bottoms

Music and community live under one roof

countryclubplaza.com | @countryclubplaza

DISCOVER kansas city’s historic shopping & dining destination

a l o y o g a • a n t h r o p o l o g i e • a p p l e • t h e c a p i ta l g r i l l e • c o a c h cooper’s hawk winery • free people • gram & dun • j.crew • jh and sons kendra scott • loveshackfancy • lululemon • mersea • messenger coffee prize home + garden • terrasi living & scandia home • tivol • topsy’s true food kitchen • tumi • veronica beard • west elm (partial store listing)

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sept loop

30

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Rainy Day

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Wait a Second

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Award-winning

KC’s popular independent bookstore finds a new home Meet the man responsible for keeping Arrowhead on time KC magazine earns national recognition

beat 25

Take 30

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American Beauty

KC FilmFest celebrates 30 years on screen Meet the Nelson’s new American art powerhouse

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Backbeat The Voice alum Max Cooper comes home

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current 31

The Art of Fit

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Short Story

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Get Fired Up

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House of Music

Peregrine Honig turns bra fitting into an art The Petite Frame is filling a big gap in KC fashion KC Clay Guild makes more room to create A historic church finds its second act

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savor 83

Sweet Spot

84

Common Ground

90

Fall, Spiked

93

Perfect Day

92

’Cue Card

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Newsfeed

Megan Garrelts gives her pastries a place of their own IN EVERY ISSUE INKED IN HISTORY

How four generations of the Grimm family helped shape an American art form

EVERY SECOND COUNTS

Meet the retired firefighter entrusted with keeping the Chiefs on the clock

SHORT & CHIC

The Petite Frame is filling a big gap in KC fashion

See Hear Go

Lebanon and Mexico meet deliciously at Beirut Taco

M AG A Z I N E J U LY 2026

M AG A Z I N E S E P T E M B E R 2 026

THE CONCERTS, EXHIBITIONS AND PERFORMANCES TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR

THIS FALL

10

Kansas City September 2026

Boulevard gives Louisburg cider a boozy twist

12 13 96

Editor’s Letter Up Front Surreal Estate

Chef David Ruiz takes convention dining up a notch Zach Krause keeps a family tradition smoking

ON THE COVER:

The cover was designed by Julie Babcock. Photography

by Laura Morissey.

The latest in KC food news

IN THIS ISSUE

this month on kansascity mag.com

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Six Visionaries The Kauffman Foundation has named six Kansas City nonprofit executives in its first-ever Kauffman Uncommon Leader Visionary Award. The award honors leaders who create lasting change that inspires others in the nonprofit sphere, according to the Kauffman Foundation. Head to our website to find out who they are.

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kansascitymag.com September 2026

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F R O M T H E E D I TO R

Contributors

T

The Art of It All

Shauna Gilden Writer Shauna Gilden wrote this issue’s story about a new shop devoted purely to petite-size women’s clothing. Gilden, who is petite herself, is a writer, producer and creative strategist. Gilden is also certified in meditation, reiki and yoga and loves exploring Kansas City.

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT PUTTING TOGETHER our annual fall arts issue that

reminds me just how expansive the word art really is.

Certainly, it’s what hangs on the walls of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, where new senior curator-at-large for American art Carrie Rebora Barratt—whose resume includes nearly three decades at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art—describes the collection as “phenomenal.” You can read all about her in writer Hampton Steven’s profile. Barratt makes an observation that stuck with me: Great museums exist because generations of people decide that art matters enough to support and protect.

But art isn’t confined to KC’s museums and galleries. Sometimes it’s inked onto skin.

In this issue, we visit Wes Grimm at the Bert Grimm Tattoo Museum in the West Bottoms. Wes is the great-grandson of legendary tattoo artist Bert Grimm, and his family has been practicing the craft since 1916. The shop’s nearly century-old flash sheets tell the story of an art form born from circuses, sailors, working-class America and a healthy dose of rebellion.

And then there’s everything happening on stages, screens and streets across Kansas City this fall. We’ve rounded up more than 50 ways to experience the arts in the coming months—from film screenings and puppet shows to cultural festivals, immersive performances and a concert by 98-year-old Kansas City legend Marilyn Maye. We’ve even ventured outside the metro for a few events worth the drive.

There’s one more bit of creativity we’re celebrating this month: our own.

Kansas City magazine recently won two national City and Regional Magazine Awards— for Cover Excellence and our Holy Smokes barbecue package—and our Savor section was also named a finalist. I’m incredibly proud of the writers, photographers, designers and editors whose work earned that recognition.

Creating a magazine is its own collaborative art form. Every month, we get to tell the stories of this city through words, photography, illustration and design.

And in an issue devoted to creativity, that feels especially worth celebrating.

Dawnya Bartsch, editor-in-chief dawnya@kansascitymag.com

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Kansas City September 2026

Louie Herbert Kinning Newest contributor Louie Herbert Kinning was born precisely at noon, August 6, 2026. The young Kinning, born to Kansas City magazine editor Nicole Kinning and husband Jordan, showed up weighing seven pounds, 3 ounces and instantly made big sister Stella smile. We know his future is bright.

Hampton Stevens Writer This issue’s profile on tattoo legend Wes Grimm was written

by KC native Hampton Stevens, who has written for regional and national publications, including The Atlantic and ESPN The Magazine. He lives with his dog, Bodhi.

UP FRONT

Numbers From This Issue

Say What?

Feedback

18,600

The number of square feet at KC Clay Guild’s new Midtown location.

Page 33

1916

The year Grimm Tattoo opened its first parlor.

Page 74

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED BY R ACHEL PIERCE

30

The number of years Kansas City FilmFest International has hosted its annual festival.

Page 25

Bookworm August’s story on Rachel Pierce’s Book Bowl Challenge garnered attention from literary lovers. After realizing she’d gone a year without finishing a book, Pierce created the challenge, which consists of drawing a miniature book from a fish bowl with 500 of them, to determine her next read.

Rachel inspired me to get back into reading!

From zero books per year to 20 already this year.

- Peter Carnesciali

@bookbowlchallenge inspired me to start my own.

I love the surprise aspect and it really challenges me to read things that I wouldn’t read for as a first option and I am floored by how much I like some of the books that I passed over for years. Thank you!

- Heather Dangerfield

Rachel is so creative, and this inspired so many people to get back to reading - Ada Cecilia Owens

“I can tell by peoples’ hands at this point.

I’m not always right on point— some people have sneaky boobs.”

- Peregrine Honig, a visual artist and the co-owner of Crossroads lingerie shop Birdies.

Contact Us

Shout Out

KC Publishing, LLC 605 W. 47th St., Suite 200 Kansas City, MO 64112 (913) 469-6700

Email

editor@kansascitymag.com

Scan the QR code to check out Kansas City magazine online.

A big thank you to long time Kansas City magazine photographer Jeremey Theron Kirby for coordinating a difficult photo shoot that then fell apart at the very last minute … again. kansascitymag.com September 2026

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Mark your calendars!

The 2026 Miami County Kansas Fall Farm Tour is returning this October!

October 10 & 11, 2026 10am-4pm Free & self-guided tour to 16 local farms in Miami County

Just South of Overland Park!

Check out our website miamicountykansasagritourism.org for the tour map and brochure.

Let’s Get Social

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Kansas City September 2026

L EAD ING T HE CONVERSAT ION IN KA NSAS C I T Y

Booked Downtown

Rainy Day Books is adding a downtown location inside Made in KC’s new flagship

By Ian Ritter A SECOND RAINY DAY BOOKS will open this fall inside Made in KC’s new flagship store in downtown Kansas City’s Power & Light District.

And if a recent Saturday morning at its original Fairway shop is any indication, the nearly 50-year-old independent bookstore really knows how to draw a crowd, making a second location a logical next step.

On a sunny August morning, shoppers at the neighboring Hen House market were lucky to find a parking spot as a steady

stream of parents and children made their way toward Rainy Day Books. Waiting outside the store was an unusual guest: a live pony.

The pony was there to help celebrate Princess Pony Says Nay, a new children’s book written by local author Jordan Morris and illustrated by Kansas City artist Charlie Mylie. Inside the packed bookstore, Morris and Mylie signed books and talked with young readers, who munched on doughnuts before heading outside to meet the four-legged star.

kansascitymag.com September 2026

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NEW CHAPTER

PHOTOGR APHY BY L AUR A MORRISEY

LO O P

“That was a big event,” says Tyler Enders, co-founder of Made in KC, which, along with a group of local investors and entrepreneurs, acquired Rainy Day Books in late 2022. “It was a great event.”

Made in KC also operates Front Range Coffeehouse & Provisions next door, which was equally packed with families on pony day.

Crowds like that are part of the reason Enders and his partners are opening a second Rainy Day Books, scheduled to debut in October on 14th Street near Main Street in the Power & Light District. The other reason is considerably simpler.

“Downtown Kansas City doesn’t have a bookstore,” Enders says.

Rainy Day Books has long made author events a cornerstone of its business. Founded by Vivien Jennings in November 1975, the bookstore has hosted an impressive roster of literary heavyweights over the decades, including Margaret Atwood, Stephen King and Anne Rice. Enders says events and author appearances will remain a major focus of the downtown location.

The expansion comes at an interesting moment for the bookselling business. For years, the rise of Amazon and online shopping fueled predictions that brick-and-mortar bookstores— especially independent ones—were headed for extinction. Major chains Borders and B. Dalton disappeared, and even Barnes & Noble spent years closing locations.

Lately, however, the story has changed. Barnes & Noble is once again opening stores across the country, and independent booksellers are also expanding. According to the American Booksellers Association, more than 600 new independent bookstore

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Kansas City September 2026

locations opened last year, with more expected in 2026.

The new Rainy Day will occupy about one-third of Made in KC’s new downtown flagship. The remainder of the space will feature locally made and designed goods along with food and drink offerings, creating something akin to the company’s Made in KC Marketplace, Café + Bar locations on the Country Club Plaza and in Lee’s Summit and Lenexa.

Enders says the downtown Rainy Day will stock about 10,000 titles, slightly fewer than the Fairway store, with a greater emphasis on adult titles given its urban location. Initial hours are expected to be 7 am to 7 pm, although Enders says the store could stay open later on weekends.

For local authors and artists, Rainy Day’s commitment to events offers something harder to quantify than book sales.

As an illustrator, Mylie says he spends much of his working life alone, making opportunities to connect directly with readers especially valuable. Being “appreciated and supported as a local author in the context of a larger national conversation,” he says, is meaningful and “makes it feel like what we’re doing matters.”

And the expansion downtown doesn’t mean Rainy Day is finished investing in its longtime Fairway home. Enders says the original store will undergo renovations in October, including upgraded shelving and new flooring.

Nearly 50 years after Rainy Day Books first opened its doors, Kansas City isn’t just keeping its venerable independent bookstore; it’s getting another one.

Untitled-1 1

2027 FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGERS

8/3/2026 5:01:23 PM

To learn more about our research process, go to: fivestarprofessional. com/public/research

WHO WILL BE NAMED? Find out in a special section inside the FEBRUARY ISSUE.

kansascitymag.com September 2026

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PHOTOGR APHY SHUT TERSTOCK .COM - MAT T FOWLER KC

Wait recently learned that he will be working the Cowboys-Ravens game in week three this year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Of all of the stadiums at which he’s worked, Wait says Arrowhead is his favorite.

“I love Arrowhead,” he says.

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Kansas City September 2026

PERSONALITIES

When Gary Wait isn’t timing the Chiefs, he can be found participating in his second favorite sport: golf.

Clocked In

Gary Wait has one of Arrowhead’s most important jobs—one most fans never notice FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, Gary Wait has had one of the best seats in Arrowhead Stadium. He just doesn’t get to watch much football from it.

Perched in the press box some nine stories above the field, Wait spends Chiefs games watching officials, tracking the ball and guarding against clock malfunctions as the game clock operator. The stakes are high. One lapse in concentration might affect the outcome of the entire game.

A retired Kansas City firefighter, this season will be Wait’s 12th manning the game clock. “When you work for the NFL, it’s all about ‘Protecting the Shield,’ as they call it,” Wait says. “They are all about the quality of the product, the integrity of the game and their reputation.

They stress it. There’s a lot of eyeballs on you, and you have to toe the line.”

Wait serves as the captain for the Game Day Assistants team, which includes three people in the pressbox some nine stories above the playing field—one running the playclock, one monitoring coach-to-quarterback communications and one, Wait, on the game clock. As captain, Wait also coordinates with the instant replay crew, who sits one floor below him during games, as well as the chain crew on the field.

“We’re working in unison, with everybody looking out for each other,” Wait says. “Running the clock, though, I am constantly keeping an eye out for malfunctions, and I have to zero in on the officials and the ball, so I’m not really watching the game like everybody else does.”

Of course, it helps that Wait is extremely familiar with the game.

After graduating from Raytown High School, he played wide receiver for Iowa State University, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in education and sports medicine and a masters in physiology. Wait started his professional life off as a math and PE teacher at Raytown High before becoming a Kansas City firefighter. He worked for the Kansas City Fire Department from 1987 until 2019, eventually becoming captain and safety officer at historic Station 23 on the corner of Independence Avenue and Van Brunt Boulevard.

But despite a career that took him off the field, Wait has always stayed in the game. For 44 years now, Wait has been officiating high school football games for the Missouri State High School Athletics Association. He also spent 22 years officiating college games with the hopes of becoming an NFL referee but decided to stop when he realized officiating NFL games wasn’t in the playbook.

“I gave up the college games when I turned 47,” says Wait, who is now 66. “I could see the NFL wasn’t going to happen. Nowadays they

take guys close to 50, but back then that was taboo. They wanted guys in their 30s.”

But apparently the NFL had been eyeing Wait. They reached out to him about becoming a game day assistant for the Chiefs. Wait worked as an alternate for six years and in 2015 became Arrowhead’s full-time clock keeper, replacing Larry Smith, a Kansas City school principal who now works as an on-field NFL official. Another Kansas City educator, Grant Christianson, joined Wait in the booth that same year as the playclock operator.

“I’m so lucky to have Grant on the playclock because he’s so analytical and smart,” Wait says.

On game day, Wait arrives about four hours before anyone else.

After making his way through a half dozen facial recognition security checks, he busies himself checking equipment, ensuring his crew arrives and participating in various pre-game meetings. He’ll meet with the on-field officials both before and after every game and then write a game report when he gets home.

Working the game clock means Wait watches the ball and the officials constantly. For example, on an ordinary running play, the clock keeps moving after the play ends. On an incomplete pass, certain out-ofbounds plays, a score, a timeout, change of possession and numerous other situations, it stops. An official can signal for the clock to stop, but the NFL rulebook also specifically authorizes the operator to stop it based on his own “positive knowledge” that a clock-stopping event occurred. Then, Wait must be ready to start the clock again at the exact right moment. It could be when the ball is snapped or when the referee signals the ball is ready for play. It’s imperative that the clock operator and others in the game day assistants team have an intimate knowledge of NFL timing rules rather than simply reacting to whistles.

“If you don’t stay laser-focused, you’ll miss something,” Wait says.

“And if you fail an assignment, you pay the price—which might mean being pulled from your assignment and at the very least usually means missing out on being awarded playoff and international games.”

Fortunately for Wait and his crew, the NFL likes what they see at Arrowhead. Wait’s crew has been awarded playoff games each of the last four years (two years ago in Minnesota and last year in Phoenix) and international games in London in 2015 and 2023 and Spain in 2025. Wait recently learned that he will be working the Cowboys-Ravens game in week three this year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Of all of the stadiums at which he’s worked, Wait says Arrowhead is his favorite. “I love Arrowhead,” he says. kansascitymag.com September 2026

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PHOTOGR APHY COURTESY OF GARY WAIT

By Ted Cotti

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

FALL EVENT PLANNER

10/10 City of Dexter Fall Fest

09/25 - 27 Country Club Plaza Art Fair

10/2-3 Heartland Book Festival

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FALL EVENT PLANNER CROWN CENTER, HALLMARKET - September 19

Celebrate local creativity as Hallmark employees and retirees showcase and sell original photography, ceramics, jewelry, fine art and more. Meet the artists, enjoy live performances, browse food and drink vendors, and explore free family activities in the Kaleidoscope activity tent.

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HAUNTED RIVER FLOAT - September 19, 26.

October 03, 10, 16 & 17, 23 & 24, 30 & 31 The Haunted River Float at Ruby’s Landing in Waynesville, Missouri begins with a hayride to the Gasconade River where you board rafts to navigate an eerie, fog-laden river. The haunted attraction combines a chilling half-mile river float with a terrifying journey through a corn maze, haunted forest, and a 2,400-square-foot haunted house. visitpulaskicounty.org/events

20 Kansas City September 2026

COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA ART FAIR - September 25-27

Celebrate the 95th Annual Plaza Art Fair at Kansas City's iconic Country Club Plaza. Enjoy artwork from 240 artists, live music, Plaza dining favorites, interactive family activities, and a weekend celebrating art, culture, and one of Kansas City's most cherished traditions.

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OVERLAND PARK FALL FESTIVAL - September 25-26 Mark your calendar for Sept. 25 and 26 for the annual Fall Festival in Downtown Overland Park. This community celebration is jam-packed with live entertainment, local vendors and delicious food. The festival runs Friday, Sept. 25, 4-8 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 26, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

opkansas.gov/FallFestival

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

FALL EVENT PLANNER

09/19 Hallmarket

Starting 09/19 Haunted River Float

10/10-11

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Kaw Valley Farm Tour

HEARTLAND BOOK FESTIVAL - October 2-3

CITY OF DEXTER FALL FEST - October 10

Feel the heartbeat of your story-loving community. The Heartland Book Festival returns to Kansas City on October 2 and 3. This free, two-day festival features workshops, panel discussions, author talks, and signings.

Learn more at heartlandbookfest.org.

Celebrate fall in Missouri's Official Rib City! Dexter's Downtown Fall Fest returns October 10 with live music, food trucks, artisan vendors, and family fun. Sample legendary barbecue, stroll historic Stoddard Street, and stay awhile. VisitDexter.com

KAW VALLEY FARM TOUR - October 3-4

MIAMI COUNTY KANSAS FALL FARM TOUR October 10-11

Bring your friends and family on this popular self-guided tour and explore the land, animals, and practices of local family farms. Discover amazing Kansas products and the farmers behind everything. From pumpkins and poultry to wildflowers and wine! This is family-friendly outdoor fun for all ages. kawvalleyfarmtour.org

Grab your friends and family for the Miami County, KS Fall Farm Tour! This free, self-guided adventure lets you explore local farms, wineries, blooming flowers, alpacas, adorable animals, locally raised and grown goods, and the rural experiences that make Miami County a must-visit destination.

Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

miamicountykansasagritourism.org kansascitymag.com September 2026

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Best in Class

Kansas City magazine takes home two top national honors for cover design and food journalism WHILE WE WERE BUSY CELEBRATING the release of our annual Best

of Kansas City winners this summer, the 2026 National City and Regional Magazine Awards, presented by the City and Regional Magazine Association, wrapped as well.

Judged by 100 editors, writers and media professionals from some of the country’s most respected publications and media organizations—including The Atlantic, Better Homes & Gardens, ESPN, Food Network, Food & Wine, Forbes and The Washington Post—the competition recognizes the best work being produced by city and regional magazines across the country.

This year, Kansas City magazine took the top prize for mid-size regional magazines in two categories: Cover Excellence and Food or Dining Feature Package. Our food coverage earned another nod this year, with the magazine’s “Savor” section being named a finalist for Food or Dining Section.

For cover excellence, we submitted the months of July, August and November. Judges called them “eye-catching and thoughtfully designed.”

July was our Best of Barbecue issue, which featured barbecue legend Ollie Gates on the cover. The issue’s barbecue feature also won the Food or Dining Feature Package category. Gates was photographed at his iconic restaurant Gates Bar-B-Q by Samantha Levi. The cover was designed by Kevin Goodbar, and cover headlines were written by Dawnya Bartsch.

August’s cover, The Big Muddy, called attention to the issue’s feature package that took an in-depth look at the Missouri River.

The cover was shot on location by Ian Simmons and designed by Goodbar, and cover headlines were written by Bartsch.

22 Kansas City September 2026

November’s cover featuring KC roller derby players Biohazard, Hellvetica and Kimbo Slicerr was photographed by Samantha Levi and designed by Goodbar, and headlines were written by Bartsch.

The winning food feature, Holy Smokes, was all about KC barbecue, highlighting the best ’cue in the metro, and “was inspired by our desire to show every bit of Kansas City’s barbecue scene,” says Tyler Shane, who led the team of BBQ critics and writers that included Devan Dignan and John Martellaro.

“From seeking out old-school barbecue joints that laid the groundwork for our city’s legacy to determining which craft style does it best, working on this feature required extensive research, travel and devouring pounds and pounds of smoked meats,” says Shane. “To have our work recognized by the CRMA is an honor not just for us but for Kansas City and our iconic cuisine.”

The judges called the package “unforgettable due to great pacing, passionate writing and big, confident photography.”

The feature was researched and written by Shane, Dignan and Martellaro; photography was by Zach Bauman, Samantha Levi and Clayton Steward; headshot illustrations were by David Babcock; design was by Goodbar; and editing was done by Bartsch.

Thank you to our readers. Whether you’ve been a dedicated subscriber since our early days as 435 Magazine or just discovered us through our social channels, there would be nothing to write about without you.

Our mission has always been to use great storytelling, photography and design to help our readers celebrate our city’s triumphs, tend to its faults and revel in the things that make it unique. Here’s to another year of doing exactly that.

Where d e i f i r t c e l e s e b u t n i s a g . r e d n o w s spark

SAINT ROBERT, MO Route 66

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SLOW-SMOKED FLAVOR • LEGENDARY HUNTING • RICH HISTORY • OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

24 Kansas City September 2026

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED

W H E R E YO U WA N T TO B E I N S E P T E M B E R

Fresh Frame

years ago. “1996 was an amazing year for cinema, especially independent filmmakers,” Addington says. “We’re inviting a lot of the cast and crew that still live in Kansas City to come join us.”

Among this year’s recent releases is Sharon Leise’s Seized, an investigative documentary with regional relevance. The film, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, follows the

By Nina Cherry police raid of the rural Kansas newspaper Marion County Record and the stress-induced death of the publication’s 98-year-old co-owner that followed.

KANSAS CITY FILMFEST International returns for its 30th year with Through a partnership with the Kansas City Film Office, viewers longtime festival juror Melanie Addington as its new head programmer. will also get a first look at previews from two unreleased films that For three days, KC FilmFest International will welcome local and were shot in KC: Tim Gagliardo’s Broken Ones, a legal thriller starinternational filmmakers alike. Alongside the approximately 100 fearing Terrence Howard and Kate Bosworth, and Mike Luciano’s dark ture-length films and shorts the event typically screens, Addington comedy Transcending, a project written by KC native Raleigh Cain says this year there will be an expanded lineup of panel discussions and educational programming. “Early on Saturday, we’ll have a panel that features locals like Saturday Night Live alum Heidi Gardner and where people can listen to the filmmakers pitch what singer-songwriter Kevin Morby. their stories are about before even watching anything,” To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the festival will also Addington says. display a retrospective exhibit. “We’re showcasing the GO: September 18–20. Times history and the future of the festival and independent Tying into the anniversary, the festival will also screen vary. AMC Ward Parkway. film,” Addington says. “It seems like a really great time Robert Altman’s Kansas City, a local classic—largely filmed Visit kcfilmfest.org for to look ahead.” at Union Station and in the Jazz District—that debuted tickets and a full schedule.

Kansas City FilmFest International is celebrating 30 years with new leadership and cutting-edge films

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PHOTO COURTESY OF C ARRIE REBOR A BARR AT T

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C U R AT O R - AT- L A R G E

Stars and Curator

Carrie Rebora Barratt brings national stature and passion for American art to Kansas City

By Hampton Stevens

PATRIOTISM TAKES MANY FORMS. Some folks celebrated America’s

250th birthday by shooting off fireworks. Some got drunk and waved the flag. The Nelson-Atkins celebrated America’s semiquincentennial, among other ways, with a new commitment to American art.

Specifically, they hired Carrie Rebora Barratt.

We spoke with Barratt, the Nelson-Atkins’ new senior curator-atlarge for American Art, in a well-lit contemporary conference room under the museum’s grand galleries. In a black gauzy tunic and elegant silver pendant, Barratt was warm, confident, accessible, thoughtful—and passionately committed to the idea of art as a fundamental building block of human wellness.

She also showed a lot of love for her new employer.

Specifically, Barratt raved about the museum’s permanent collection.

“It’s phenomenal,” she says. “Phenomenal. It’s encyclopedic. It goes from ancient to contemporary. It covers all the bases. It’s one of the great, great survey museums in the world.”

Barratt expressed a particular admiration for the great men and women, from William Rockhill Nelson to the generous philanthropic families of Kansas City today, who make the museum what it is. Not every city, she noted, is lucky enough to have citizens who care so deeply about the arts in their community.

“It takes people of great vision to create great museums—and then endow them so that they’re never at risk,” Barratt says.

High praise from a woman who knows. Barratt is, by any measure, a remarkably accomplished arts professional. After growing up in Chicago, she started her education at Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Va. She only stayed two years, though, discovering herself to be a visual learner.

“I needed to be in a place where there are actually pictures to look at, so I went home,” she says. “That was partly a financial thing, too.”

Back in Chicago, she studied at the University of Illinois and “went to the Art Institute every single day.” Ultimately, her education would include a Bachelor’s degree from UIC, along with a master’s in art history from UCLA and a Ph.D. in art history from the City University of New York.

New York is where she found her calling, too, getting an internship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and rising through the ranks.

“I did the normal kind of academic route through the American wing,” Barratt says. “I was a curator, assistant, associate, full curator.

I did exhibitions, I helped renovate the American wing. In 2009, when (former director) Philippe de Montebello retired, a whole new regime was pulled upstairs. I was one of those people.”

She became deputy director for collections, a ridiculously demanding and prestigious job that she held for nearly a decade. Then, in 2017, a search firm called and asked her to interview for the position of president of the New York Botanical Garden.

She kind of baulked. “‘I’m an art historian with a Ph.D,’” she recalls saying. “‘I’ve worked at the Met more than half my life. What makes you think I can run a garden?’ And they said, ‘It’s a museum of plants.’”

She got the job. After a few years at the botanical garden, though, and the disruption of the pandemic, Barratt decided that she missed working at great museums. All kinds of new projects followed, including a fellowship at Crystal Bridges in Bentonville, Ark. and the start of a forthcoming book titled Martha Washington and the American Widow.

At one point, Barratt was tapped for a job in East Hampton, helping to get the showplace former home of famed textile designer Jack Lenor Larsen onto the National Register of Historic Places. As that project, known as LongHouse Reserve, wound down, Barratt found herself in KC doing an accreditation for the American Alliance of Museums. While here, a few folks from the Nelson-Atkins asked if she was interested in a new position. She was. Barratt was already “looking for ways to get back to my roots as an Americanist.”

Three days later, she got a phone call. Shortly thereafter, Kansas City got a wildly qualified new curator.

But why American art specifically? What drives Barratt’s lifelong fascination with the creative output of her home country? Ultimately what makes anyone love one genre over another must remain something of a mystery, but Barratt absolutely lights up when she talks about early American portraiture.

“So my expertise—my true, true Ivory Tower expertise—is portraits from before the Civil War,” Barratt says. “So let’s say 1730 to 1860, pretty much before photography really takes hold.”

She particularly loves portrait miniatures: highly detailed, smallscale paintings, mostly measuring just a few inches in size, that were typically painted on vellum, card or ivory. Today, museums display them in climate-controlled glass cases. When they were made, however, portrait miniatures were deeply private things, profoundly sentimental and designed to be carried or worn.

“They’re especially dear because they were painted for people as personal keepsakes,” Barratt says. “They were often called tokens of affection. They would fit in the pocket. If I had a locket of my husband, it would always be in my pocket. The backs of them have hair work and jewelry. They’re fantastic, like beautiful watercolor on ivory with jewels around them. They’re so intensely personal and intensely intimate and exquisitely done. When you think about how hard it would be, watercolor on slippery ivory—just mind-blowing to me. I could look at them all day long.”

Perhaps just as significant is the subject matter of these miniatures. These are portraits of regular, albeit affluent, Americans. They are not glorifications of kings. They do not honor gods or figures from the Bible. They celebrate the beauty of simple, ordinary human love. They celebrate the individual. What could be more American than that?

↓ In conjunction with her appointment, Barratt will deliver the museum’s 44th Annual Atha Lecture on September 10.

Visit nelsonatkins.org for tickets and more information.

kansascitymag.com September 2026

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BEHOLD THE GREATEST GIFT: MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS Travel back in time this holiday season to witness one of the most beloved Bible stories ever told live on stage. MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS is an original stage production by Sight & Sound Theatres® that follows Mary and Joseph, and their faithful journey to Bethlehem. From the angels sharing the good news with the lowly shepherds, to the wise men following a star to see the Messiah—you too will want to make the journey to Sight & Sound Theatres for this ultimate celebration.

with a relatable message of hope for every guest, regardless of background or familiarity with the Bible. This miraculous story is a shared reminder of the greatest gift given to us all.

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MEME MAESTRO Beyond his more heartfelt music, Cooper shows off his compositional skills on his popular Instagram account. With instrumental parodies like unexpected mashups, spooky reimaginings of pop songs and new takes on television theme songs, he’s amassed more than 300,000 followers and millions of views. Check it out for yourself at @mrpianoman.

competition. “It was a blast—one of the coolest, most unique experiences of my life,” Cooper says. “Being around amazing musicians and songwriters for months, it really helped me open up as a singer.”

Now, nearly a year after the season first aired, Cooper is ready to show his hometown what he’s been working on since. On September 12, he’ll headline KKFI’s Crossroads Music Festival.

Performing alongside his quartet, which features bassist Justin Neely, guitarist Ross Galler and drummer Blue Noyes, the set will include tracks from Cooper’s debut EP The Overthinker, covers he performed on The Voice and some unreleased songs, too. But Cooper says “I’ve always liked singing, but even the familiar songs will offer listeners something really, I wanted a way to get my new and unexpected, hinting at the fresh, jazz-inspired lyrics out,” Cooper says. “After arrangements he’s been working on for the festival.

The Voice, I started to take my Cooper released The Overthinker just months before vocals more seriously.” appearing on The Voice. The versatile project showcases the artist’s ability to move between intimate, stripped-back tracks and more heavily orchestrated numbers. On “Check the Time,” he pours his heart out with just his voice, the piano and sparse harmonies.

“Sadie,” meanwhile, highlights the arranging skills he honed while earning a degree in music composition at KU. And although Cooper may fit the broader category of singer-songwriter, his music doesn’t necessarily

By Nina Cherry sound like what that label brings to mind. You won’t SINGER-SONGWRITER MAX COOPER III has been playing piano nearly all his life—since hear him accompany himself with simple, monotonous he was three years old, to be exact. “Piano was my first love, my home base,” he says. rhythms. His playing, which is largely informed by his “Every show I play, I rarely move away from the piano. It’s an extension of my voice.” love of jazz (especially pianist Art Tatum), is complex But when the artist, who is originally from Olathe, competed on season 28 of The without being too busy—and undoubtedly funky. He says he’s more interested in writing and performing Voice last fall, the experience pulled him out of his comfort zone. “things you wouldn’t normally hear in pop music.”

“I’ve always liked singing, but really, I wanted a way to get my lyrics out,” Cooper says. “After The Voice, I started to take my vocals more seriously.”

That sentiment shines through in Cooper began his run on the TV show by captivating each judge, his next chapter. Now, at Crossroads GO: earning a four-chair turn with his cover of Mike Posner’s 2010 hit Music Fest, Cooper is ready to show Max Cooper III at Crossroads Music “Cooler Than Me.” Ultimately, under the mentorship of Michael his hometown how far he’s come Festival. September 12. 4:15 pm.

Bublé, he advanced to the knockout round, the third stage of the since appearing on The Voice.

Lemonade Park.

Finding His Voice PHOTOGR APHY BY E ARL RICHARDSON

A year after appearing on The Voice, Max Cooper III is showing his hometown what’s next at Crossroads Music Fest

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CURAT ING A BE AU T I FU L L I FE

Form and Figure

With size-inclusive garments from independent designers, this artist-run lingerie boutique in the Crossroads offers expert fittings

By Nina Cherry JABBING UNDERWIRE. STRAPS FALLING OFF SHOULDERS. Too

But generally, I know the human body because I’m an artist. I’ve been much room here and not enough there. Peregrine Honig, who co-owns studying form and figure my whole life.”

Honig launched Birdies in 2003 with a 100-square-foot space, Crossroads lingerie boutique Birdies (1800 Baltimore Ave., KCMO) printing her own designs on Costco underwear. In 2008, the shop with Alexis Burggrabe, is used to hearing these woes from customers. expanded after a neighboring business moved out, and earlier this She says many of them have never worn the correct bra size. year, the business moved down the block into a corner storefront, “It’s just fun to see people try something on and it fits them for tripling its size with help from Kansas City’s Open Doors! grant. the first time,” Honig says. “The difference is epic.”

The new location’s atmosphere proves that, contrary to popular You may be familiar with Honig’s work as an acclaimed artist. A belief, shopping for bras does not have to be a hellish experience.

Kansas City Art Institute alum and longtime resident of the city, her The stylish, inviting space features velvet dressing room curtains, lithographs and etchings have been acquired by local museums like Turkish rugs, porcelain tile and a glassblown chandelier from New the Nelson-Atkins and the Kemper and major institutions like The Orleans. Schedule a custom fitting (walk-ins are also welcome) and Whitney Museum of American Art (she made history as the youngest living artist to have work acquired by this New York museum). shop the boutique’s carefully curated collection, which includes garNaturally, she has a keen eye for proportions. ments from small designers like Colombian brand Soreil and Los Angeles label Nuvula.

Reviews for Birdies mention Honig’s impressive ability to size customers with just a glance (she casually rattled Sizes range from 28A to 44L, and Honig says the Browse Birdies’ collection off my own measurements when I visited the shop). “I shop will special order sizes outside of that range. “And in-person at 1800 we have peoples’ sizes in really interesting colors—not can tell by people’s hands at this point,” she says. “I’m not Baltimore Ave., KCMO, just beige,” Honig says. always right on point—some people have sneaky boobs. open 11 am–7 pm daily.

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TREND

PHOTOGR APHY BY ???

CURRENT

Small Frame, Big Style The Petite Frame Finds Its KC Fit

By Shauna Gilden I’LL ADMIT IT: UNTIL RECENTLY, I DIDN’T FULLY UNDERSTAND what “petite” meant.

I assumed it referred to size. Turns out, it’s all about height, and at 5’4”, I qualify.

That little revelation made me especially intrigued by The Petite Frame, a new boutique in Zona Rosa created specifically for women who are 5’4” and under.

For owner Jessica Reynolds, the idea was born from a frustration she knew all too well. Standing at 5’2”, Reynolds has experienced firsthand the struggle of finding high-quality, contemporary clothing that actually works for her proportions.

“The market is severely underserved,” Reynolds says. “I’ve simply identified a major problem and am helping solve it both locally in KC as well as nationally with our online store.”

With more than 16 years of experience in corporate retail, Reynolds has led e-commerce for national brands across industries including beauty, fine jewelry and wholesale flowers. Her Kansas City resume includes Beauty Brands and Helzberg Diamonds, and most recently, she served as Ecommerce Director for Chicago-based Kennicott Brothers, a wholesale floral importer and distributor.

The Petite Frame launched online in January 2026, and strong early results convinced Reynolds that a brick-and-mortar storefront was the next step. A Northlander herself, she began conversations with Zona Rosa in the spring. When the space formerly occupied by Francesca’s became available, the timing felt almost too perfect.

“I am a northlander myself,” says Reynolds, who definitely wanted a short commute. “This entire process has been a mix of me overanalyzing data and simply taking risks.”

The Petite Frame officially opened in early July, and shoppers are coming from all over the metro, she says. Women from Lawrence, Manhattan, Leawood and other parts of the region have made their way to the store. Reynolds knew almost immediately that the boutique could become a destination.

“Our grand opening brought a woman from 2.5 hours away,” Reynolds says.

“She brought her husband and three daughters to shop with her. It sincerely made my day.” Since then, customers have continued to tell her they came to Zona Rosa specifically to shop at The Petite Frame. Some experiences have been particularly emotional. “Multiple women have hugged me and left with happy tears because that is just how big of a struggle they’ve had to find clothes that truly fit,” she says.

PETITE IS ABOUT PROPORTION, NOT SIZE One of the biggest misconceptions Reynolds wants to clear up is that petite means tiny. It doesn’t. By fashion standards, petite sizing is generally designed for

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Kansas City September 2026

women 5’4” and under, regardless of clothing size or body shape. The distinction is really about proportion.

A woman who is 5’4” might have a longer inseam and wear standard jeans but have a shorter torso or narrower shoulders that make petite tops a better fit.

Another woman who is 5’2” might have broader shoulders or a larger chest and prefer standard-size tops in certain styles. “Petite styling is not a one-size-fits-all approach,” Reynolds says. “It’s all about proportional styling.”

That philosophy is reflected in the brands Reynolds has curated for the shop. Before launching, she spent months purchasing pieces from suppliers around the globe and testing them. As the online store softlaunched, she partnered with petite fashion influencers across the country, sending them pieces to review for fit, quality and wearability. Some made the cut. Others didn’t.

Today, the boutique carries brands including Oliver Logan Denim, Karen Kane Petites and Marel Clothing, which are designed right here in Kansas City. The result is a wardrobe that feels stylish rather than specialized.

Think elevated everyday casual: denim, skirts, dresses, vacation-ready pieces, comfortable loungewear and jewelry. Reynolds wants shoppers to be able to mix and match pieces easily and emphasizes timeless style over fleeting trends. And there’s no age limit. “We firmly believe that fashion has no age limit,” Reynolds says.

“A young woman or a mature woman can confidently walk through our doors and find something she loves.”

MORE THAN JUST A GOOD FIT While finding the perfect pair of jeans may be what brings women through the door, Reynolds says some of her most meaningful experiences have had little to do with inseams.

She’s worked with women whose bodies have changed dramatically because of significant weight loss, mastectomies, C-sections and other life experiences. For some, those changes have altered the way they approach clothing and styling. “I have personally connected with many of them and enjoyed styling them to help them feel confident and comfortable,” Reynolds says.

That experience has shown Reynolds that clothing can be about much more than looking good. Sometimes, finding something that fits comfortably and makes you feel like yourself again can be a small but meaningful step toward confidence. And already the boutique is beginning to feel less like a new business and more like a community, with some customers already becoming regulars. “I’m on a first-name basis with several women already,” Reynolds says.

For Reynolds, opening The Petite Frame has meant taking a very personal leap into entrepreneurship. “It’s been a dream come true, as cheesy as that sounds,” she says. “I’ve thought about it for years, so to bring it to life, it’s been equal parts terrifying and so very rewarding.”

Reynolds’ advice to other people considering going into business for themselves? “Do your research and put together thorough plans, but also go with your gut,” she says. “The only regret I have at this point is not doing this sooner.”

P OT T E R’ S W H E E L

RENDERING PROVIDED BY KC CL AY GUILD

CURRENT

Kiln It

With a move to a new location, KC Clay Guild is ready to keep growing

By Ryan Reed

WHETHER YOU’RE A PRO at the pottery wheel or don’t know the for more of each. Beyond offering meeting workshops and classes for beginner to intermediate ceramicists, the Clay Guild also has mixed difference between throwing and handbuilding, KC Clay Guild’s new location offers instruction and options to anyone interested in learning skill level meetings providing continued learning and collaboration. how to work with ceramics.

“People find their interest and what they want to focus on,” Reilly “We take a top-to-bottom approach,” says Louis Reilly, director says. “Most of our classes are fairly self-directed, so it’s really just us of KC Clay Guild. “At the very entry level, we have classes for fivehelping them continue to progress and figure out their own way.” year-olds and first-timers all the way through serious hobbyists and Additionally, KC Clay Guild offers “Family Fun Nights” on Friday professionals.” and Saturday evenings from 6 to 10 pm. For a discounted rate of $10, The Clay Guild has been in operation since 1988. It started by meeting visitors are free to work with clay, try out handbuilding or give the in the home of potter Michael Smith, but it eventually found its way to potter’s wheel a spin, all in a professional, well-equipped studio space. the 4,500-square-foot Waldo location on 74th Street, where the Guild “We have a very open and accommodating community, so there are has been since 1999. Now, the nonprofit organization is relocating to generally going to be folks around that have a little bit more experience who are willing to lend a pointer or two,” says Reilly. “Also, we always 39th Street, moving to an impressive 18,600-square-foot building. have volunteer studio monitors on site to help steer you in the right Reilly says that the relocation was necessary to meet the Guild’s direction.” needs. “We had a high demand for programming, with a waitlist six Beyond classes, KC Clay Guild provides a space for people to work months to a year long on a lot of our recurring classes,” he says. “The same was true for small private studio rentals.” Previously, the KC Clay and be part of a community. Memberships give discounts, and the Guild only had four private studios to rent, but now there are 26. As if studio provides a place to craft and store your tools and projects for more proof were needed to illustrate the demand for ceramics services a fee. More room in the new building means more revenue and room in Kansas City, all 26 of those studios have been rented ahead of the to grow. “What that means for us is that we are able to add more free programming for other nonprofits in the schools and expand our artist Guild’s September 12–13 grand opening. and resident programs,” Reilly says. “I think people The organization is self-sufficient, only relying on grants and capital campaigns for bigger investments, are looking to start attacking their bucket lists before For more information on like the new building and equipment upgrades. The it’s too late. They want to get away from their devices memberships and class schedules, and put their hands to work in a physical way and Guild stays afloat with membership fees, class costs visit KC Clay Guild’s website at and studio rentals. The new, expanded space will allow their minds to work in a creative way.” kcclayguild.org.

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SPACE

Inside Greenwood Social Hall, a historic Baptist church turned intimate gathering place for music, art and community

By Nina Cherry Photography by Laura Morsman and Ian Simmons

PHOTOGR APHY BY IAN SIMMONS

HOME

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CURRENT

IN THE WESTSIDE , musician Calvin Arsenia is hosting world-class

concerts in a historic building that he also calls home. Formerly known as Greenwood Baptist Church, Greenwood Social Hall was built in 1927 by Waverly T. Thomas, one of the first Black architects to work in Kansas City.

An avid performer throughout KC and beyond, Arsenia is an ethereal harpist and singer (he also plays an array of other stringed instruments and the piano). Nearly three years ago, the musician moved into Greenwood, taking over the space from artist Peregrine Honig, who lived there for almost eight years and helped transform the former church into an arts space. As Greenwood’s director, Arsenia hosts performances, workshops, figure drawing sessions and more.

Earlier this year, an opportunity to purchase the Hall presented itself, and on July 31, Arsenia signed the deed. He was able to purchase the building with help from members of the local community and donors from New York to Los Angeles. The Greenwood crowdfunding campaign raised more than $100,000 toward the building's acquisition. “I feel honored to be supported by so many people—people who want to see artist-run spaces in the world,” Arsenia says.

Now that the place is officially his, we visited Arsenia to take a closer look at the historic space.

When it came to the restoration, Arsenia says much of what they did was just reveal the space’s “bare bones.”

Bare Bon Bones es

The interior of Greenwood Social Hall looks quite a bit different today than it did nearly a century ago—or even a decade ago.

In 2016, the congregation faced a tough choice. With aging parishioners, accessibility concerns and a building in need of repair, the congregation decided it was best to sell. “It was a shell when I came into that space,” Honig says. “The floors were coming down. The ceiling was falling down.”

Soon after, Honig served as the creative director of an extensive renovation project—working alongside Jamie Jeffries of real estate venture Bottoms Up Collective—and renamed the space Greenwood Social Hall.

In 2017, Arsenia was one of the first artists to use the freshly revamped space, recording the album Live at Greenwood. The following year, the hall’s restoration garnered the attention of the New York Times.

Honig called the space home for nearly eight years until her husband, musician Mike Dillon, recommended that Arsenia take over the lease. “I feel like I planted the seed and Calvin is growing the garden,” Honig says.

When it came to the restoration, Arsenia says much of what they did was just reveal the space’s “bare bones.” Although the church once had a drop ceiling, Greenwood’s original vaulted ceiling— with rustic, exposed beams—is now on full display. The back wall, the backdrop for performers taking the stage, was once covered with wood panelling. When those panels were removed, a pair of green-tinted, stained glass windows was revealed.

36 Kansas City September 2026

PHOTOGR APHY BY IAN SIMMONS

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PHOTOGR APHY BY IAN SIMMONS

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A space by artists, for artists

The concerts are cozy and intimate, and it feels as if you’re curled up on the couch in someone’s living room—because you are, in Arsenia’s.

A hodgepodge of secondhand couches and chairs have taken the place of pews. Eclectic, maximalist decor—an extension of Arsenia’s creativity—lines the windowsills and walls.

The space stands out as one of few dedicated listening rooms in KC. Audience members are attentively tuned in to the performance, free from the glow of muted TVs and bar chatter. A thoughtful and attentive host, Arsenia has created a space by artists, for artists. “As

38 Kansas City September 2026

a listener, I just hate going to a show where I feel like a burden to the space—where the bartenders or security guards are annoyed,” he says. “That’s not the kind of place I want to be going to to listen to music.”

He also hopes Greenwood can inspire local creatives looking to build something of their own. “So many artists believe that their lot in life is to be struggling,” he says. “I hope that I can provide an example and offer resources to help artists know that isn’t the only choice. It’s been a lot of hard work to acquire this space, but I didn’t do it alone. I hope that this can be a linchpin for other artists to take up space.”

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Taking flight

A key fixture of the space is a suspended sculptural installation, artist Ross Redmon's Passenger Migration. A flock of pigeons hang from the exposed beams, and upon a closer look, the birds dangle upside down, creating the illusion of flight overhead.

PHOTOGR APHY BY L AUR A MORSMAN

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CURRENT

“There’s nothing more holy than sharing your stories through song,” Arsenia says. “It’s a time of community and ceremony.”

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PHOTOGR APHY BY IAN SIMMONS

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Choral loft

While the downstairs features an open floor plan with a sweeping living space, half-bath and a quaint yet maximalist kitchen, the choral loft has been partitioned into a bedroom and bathroom.

The bedroom, largely consumed by the bed and built in-shelving, is a clever use of space. It features a loft of its own for extra storage, which Arsenia had custom-built.

The bathroom—outfitted with porcelain tile, an enameled cast-iron pedestal sink and a clawfoot tub—is full of period-appropriate charm. It’s also where Arsenia puts on his pre-concert glam.

PHOTOGR APHY BY IAN SIMMONS

A place of worship

“There’s so much that has happened here,” Arsenia says. “Funerals, weddings, political meetings, concerts—I’m jumping into the stream of something that was already happening.”

Arsenia’s stewardship of the space isn’t a new chapter; rather, it’s a continuation of the church's storied life. When he opens his home for concerts, he sees parallels to the regular Sunday services that once took place here.

“There’s nothing more holy than sharing your stories through song,” Arsenia says. “It’s a time of community and ceremony.”

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PHOTOGR APHY PILSEN PHOTO COOP

✪ FALL ARTS PREVIEW ✪

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Fall Arts Preview / kansascitymag.com

MUSIC THEATER DANCE VISUAL ARTS FESTIVALS FAMILY FILM

Art For All Written by Dawnya Bartsch, Nina Cherry and Calla Jordan

W

hether you’re a Doja Cat superfan or know nearly every lyric to The Phantom of the Opera, Kansas City’s fall arts season offers something for everyone.

In this issue, Kansas City magazine has compiled more than 50 ways to experience art this fall, from film screenings and puppet shows to cultural festivals and immersive live art shows. Our editors’ picks spotlight the season’s must-see moments—like 98-year old cabaret legend Marilyn Maye’s performance at the Folly Theater—along with recommendations for where to eat, drink or keep the evening going. Plus, we’ve included some events beyond the metro that are worth the drive.

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Music

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PHOTOGR APHY Z ACH BAUMAN

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✪ Fall Preview Editor's Pick

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SINGER MARILYN MAYE is Kansas City royalty. In

↓ GO: September 25. 7:30 pm. Folly Theater. follytheater.org.

the 1950s, the glamorous performer sang five nights a week at KC’s Colony Steakhouse, a residency she held for a decade. That gig also served as the launch pad into the national entertainment circuit—many may remember her as a frequent guest performer on Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show. Dubbed by the host as a “super singer,” Maye broke the latenight program’s record as the vocalist with the most appearances.

Now 98 years old, Maye spends much of her time in New York City, so seeing her perform in KC is a rare treat. Often donned in sequins, the cabaret performer still high kicks while singing show tunes, jazz standards and more. Her upcoming performance at the Folly Theater follows the release of her first solo album in over a decade, The Magic of Marilyn Maye: Live at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Before witnessing this living legend in action, round up the girls for a pre-show happy hour on the patio of Mediterranean restaurant Extra Virgin and share a spread of small plates (the smoked trout dip is a must). Located just steps away from the Crossroads streetcar stop, we recommend boarding the tram and exiting at the Metro Center stop for a quick stroll down 12th Street.

For those looking to party like the marvelous Marilyn Maye, the Folly will be serving up the singer’s post-concert drink of choice: apple martinis. –NC

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Yo-To Ma

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Music

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED PROVIDED BY THE K ANSAS CIT Y SYMPHONY

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ERIC CLAPTON

YO-YO MA

SOMBR

Eric Clapton rose to stardom in the 1960s as lead guitarist and singer for several influential bands including The Yardbirds and Cream. Following his success in rock ‘n’ roll bands, Clapton led a massive solo career as an 18-time Grammy Award winner and three-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member. Although he continues to release new music, Clapton will also be performing a few of his greatest hits on this tour, performing classics like “Layla” and “Tears in Heaven.”

Yo-Yo Ma’s upcoming performance with the Kansas City Symphony opens the 2026-27 classical season. The world-famous cellist is known for not only his foundational classical ability but also his performances in other genres such as jazz. This fall at the Kauffman Center, he will be performing Dvořák’s Cello Concerto, a famous piece first performed in 1896.

Celebrating his 2025 breakout album, I Barely Know Her, Sombr is set to tour internationally. The up-and-coming star performs in KC for one night as part of the You Are the Reason Tour, singing fan-favorites including “Back to friends” and “Undressed.”

September 16. T-Mobile Center

DOJA CAT

ROBERT PLANT

The former Led Zeppelin lead singer, famous for such iconic songs as “Stairway to Heaven” and “Whole Lotta Love,” will perform alongside Suzi Dian in a band called Saving Grace. While Plant gained success through his rock and roll lyricism and performance style, his new music is inspired by traditional folk music. On tour, Saving Grace will be performing its debut self-titled album, featuring hits like “Everybody’s Song” and “Gospel Plough.”

September 19. Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

LYRIC OPERA OF KANSAS CITY PRESENTS LA BOHÉME

The Lyric Opera of Kansas City will open its season with the intimately tragic tale of La bohème. Composed by Giacomo Puccini, this Italian opera tells a story of love and loss on the streets of Paris in the 1830s. Mimi, a young seamstress, falls in love with Rodolfo the poet, and amid their tumultuous circumstances they are set for a devastating end.

September 30. Helzberg Hall.

Grammy Award-winning performer Doja Cat is en route to KC for her Tour Ma Vie World Tour, celebrating her fifth album release in seven years. The hip-hop superstar will bring hit songs from Vie to the stage, such as “Jealous Type” and “AAAHH MEN!”, mixing different genres seamlessly in her set lists.

October 6. T-Mobile Center

CHRIS STAPLETON

The All-American Road Show reaches its final destination in KC this fall. Singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton performs two nights, playing his biggest hits throughout his career, including “Tennessee Whiskey” and “Starting Over.” The country star got his start after moving to Nashville in 1996, and has since won 12 Grammy Awards and released five albums. Special guest Nikki Lane joins the lineup.

October 9–10. Morton Amphitheater

October 31. T-Mobile Center

LYRIC OPERA OF KANSAS CITY PRESENTS THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

This continuation of Beaumarchais’ Barber of Seville tells the comical yet witty tale of Figaro, the barber, and his newfound love Susanna. The couple’s roles in society interfere with their plans of getting married, and together they must outsmart the Nobleman Count Almaviva.

Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart alongside librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte in 1786, The Marriage of Figaro remains one of the most influential operas for its intricate plots and complex ensembles.

November 7–15. Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

LUPITA INFANTE

Mexican-American artist Lupita Infante’s latest album, Aunque Me Duela, adds a contemporary twist to traditional music.

The album contains notable mariachi, norteño and ranchera influences in her music while maintaining her unique and personal sound. The singer-songwriter was a semifinalist on The Voice (La Voz Mexico) and received a Grammy nomination for her debut studio album, La Serenata.

December 6. 8 pm. The Truman.

September 19, 25 & 27. Times vary.

Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

KACEY MUSGRAVES

PHOTOGR APHY BY K ARLI C ADEL

Breakout artist Kacey Musgraves has been a performer all of her life, but she got her breakthrough after her first major-label debut album, Same Trailer Different Park, in 2013. Since then, Musgraves has released six albums and earned eight Grammys throughout her career. Now, Musgraves tours her most recent album, Middle of Nowhere.

The album meshes together traditional country sounds with pop music and features her lead single “Dry Spell.”

September 23. T-Mobile Center.

La bohéme

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Goddess Moves Kansas City Dance Collective turns to

the powerful women of Greek mythology for the return of “Created by Chaos.”

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PHOTOGR APHY COURTESY K ANSAS CIT Y DANCE COLLEC TIVE

KANSAS CITY DANCE COLLECTIVE turns to the powerful women of Greek mythology

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for the return of “Created by Chaos.”

Goddesses, monsters, heroines and troublemakers have populated Greek mythology for thousands of years. This fall, Kansas City Dance Collective is giving some of its most formidable female figures a thoroughly modern spin.

The local professional dance company brings back its fan-favorite “Created by Chaos” to Union Station’s City Stage Theatre this October. The production, first staged in spring 2025, draws inspiration from the women of Greek mythology, with individual works exploring different characters through the perspectives of the dancers and choreographers who created them.

Founded in 2022 and led by artistic director Kirstie Moot, the nonprofit company gives its dancers opportunities not only to perform but to choreograph original work.

Rather than adhering to a certain type of dance, the company embraces a range of dance styles and builds productions around the individual strengths of its artists.

For “Created by Chaos,” that means Greek mythology becomes less a history lesson and more a creative jumping-off point. Familiar mythological figures are interpreted through contemporary movement, with each work reflecting the choreographer's own take on the woman at its center. And really, what better source material for dance than Greek mythology? Love, revenge, jealousy, power and a little chaos.

Keep things easy with dinner at Pierpont’s, located inside Union Station. Grab a steak before the show and order the restaurant’s bestselling Old Fashioned Revolution—a bourbon and rye spin on the classic. The soaring, old-school bar alone is worth a pre-show stop. –DB

↓ GO: October 23–24. City Stage Theatre at Union Station.

Fall Arts Preview / kansascitymag.com

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Fall Preview Editor's Pick

Dance Fall Arts Preview / September 2026

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Dance DANCE IN THE PARK Dance in the Park, presented by City in Motion Dance Theatre, will feature both local youth and professional dance performances. This free outdoor event includes a wide variety of dance styles including contemporary and cultural dance.

September 12. Roanoke Park.

NEW DANCE PARTNERS: THE ULTIMATE COLLABORATION New Dance Partners features four exciting world-premiere performances driven by the artistic synergy of choreographers all over KC. The Kansas City Ballet, Owen/Cox Dance Group, Störling Dance Theater and Regina Klenjoski Dance Company all come together in this annual two-day show featuring modern and contemporary performances.

THE NUTCRACKER Kansas City Ballet’s The Nutcracker is an essential part of the community’s holiday tradition. After Clara is gifted her beloved Nutcracker by her mysterious uncle Drosselmeyer, her Christmas Eve transforms into a magical adventure with a prince to the Land of Sweets. Reimagined and choreographed by the company’s artistic director Devon Carney, the classical ballet is brought to life through the extraordinary company dancers and the eye-catching sets and costumes. After the event, guests are offered the opportunity to take photos with the memorable characters, including The Nutcracker and Clara herself.

November 28–December 24.

Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

September 18–19. Yardley Hall

KANSAS CITY BALLET: THE WIZARD OF OZ This year, the Kansas City Ballet will be starting off its season with a special nod to home, performing Septime Webre’s ballet adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. The ballet will follow Dorothy, Toto and her peculiar friends’ journey on the yellow brick road to meet the wise Wizard. Accompanied by the Kansas City Symphony, this performance will transport the audience from Kansas to the glamorous city of Oz. October 16–25.

Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING Presented by Owen/Cox Dance Group, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King brings to life Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffman’s 1816 Nutcracker story. This contemporary jazz adaptation tells the tale of the Nutcracker and young Marie, featuring Kansas City dancers from diverse dance backgrounds and live music.

December 10–13. Yardley Hall

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The Nutcracker and the Mouse King

PHOTOGR APHY BY KENNY JOHNSON

The Wizard of Oz

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Fall Preview Editor's Pick Cider Season Louisburg Ciderfest celebrates nearly 50 years of apples,

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PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED

doughnuts and unabashedly old-fashioned fall fun.

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THERE ARE CERTAIN SIGNS that fall has officially arrived in Kansas City: Chiefs football, the first sweater-worthy morning and the sudden, overwhelming urge to consume everything apple.

For the latter, head south to Louisburg Cider Mill, where the 49th annual Ciderfest takes over the mill for two glorious weekends. The longtime fall tradition draws more than 20,000 visitors each weekend.

The star, naturally, is the cider. Visitors can watch apples make their journey from fruit to glass during live cider-making demonstrations, starting with the washing of the apples and ending at the press. Then comes the important part: sampling the finished product. The cider is served hot or cold, but preferably with one of the mill’s freshly made cider doughnuts.

Caramel apples, kettle corn and other festival fare round out the fall feast.

There’s plenty happening beyond the press. Bluegrass bands play throughout the day on the mill’s outdoor Lost Trail stage while dozens of artisans and crafters sell handmade goods. Pony rides, inflatables and face painting keep younger festivalgoers occupied.

Located about 20 miles south of the KC metro, Ciderfest is close enough for an afternoon outing but far enough away to feel like a proper fall escape.

–DB

↓

GO: September 26–27 and October 3–4.

Louisburg Cider Mill.

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Fall Festivals

Visitors can watch apples make their journey from fruit to glass during live cidermaking demonstrations, starting with the washing of the apples and ending at the press.

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Fall Festivals

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KC RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL Take a step back in time at Kansas City’s Renaissance Festival. The annual fair transports visitors to the Renaissance with cosplay, costumes and live entertainment such as jousting matches and folk music. There will be food and drinks, handmade goods and immersive activities throughout the festival, enhancing the creative and playful atmosphere.

September 5–October 18 (Saturdays and Sundays only). 633 N. 130th Street. Bonner Springs.

DEAF CULTURAL FESTIVAL Kansas City’s Deaf Cultural Festival celebrates the history of art in the deaf and hard of hearing communities. For more than a decade, this annual festival has featured hands-on art activities, art from deaf and hard of hearing perspectives, and American Sign Language interpretations throughout museum areas.

September 19. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

18TH AND VINE ARTS FESTIVAL This festival honors KC’s historic and influential 18th & Vine Jazz District with music, art and food. Along with unique interactive art installations and a fashion show, this year’s event will feature 12 finalists from the “Live on the Vine” music competition, including Jor Don, Ayeha Mahmud, Naabi and Jeremiah NA. The annual event is meant for all ages and celebrates the distinct culture and community of the district.

September 27. 18th and Vine District.

CROSSROADS MUSIC FESTIVAL The 22nd annual Crossroads Music Festival in the West Bottoms—yes, you read that right—will feature more than 25 performances from local artists. From spinning DJs and jazz trios to indie-rock and folk singers, there is something for everyone. A few of the headliners include Danny McGaw and Kat King. There will also be kid-friendly activities and treats such as face painting and snowcones.

KC OKTOBERFEST Kick off October with this notorious beer festival. KC’s Oktoberfest offers a German-style experience with a Kansas City twist, featuring traditional Bavarian food and drink alongside Kansas City craft brews. The festival has activities for all ages, including a variety of games, family activities and live music.

October 2 & 3. Crown Center.

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS FESTIVAL The Nelson-Atkins celebrates Die de los Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead, with a festival showcasing Latin traditions, art and music. Local cultural performances including traditional dances accompanied by live music and interactive activities will be offered at the museum.

November 1. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

WESTON APPLEFEST To commemorate the autumn season, the popular Weston Applefest celebrates all things apple with a plethora of fall and apple-themed food, entertainment and vendors.

Before sampling the many apple-flavored treats and checking out the various demonstrations, such as how to make apple butter, be sure to kick off the weekend of events by watching the apple-themed parade.

October 3 & 4. Downtown Weston.

COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA LIGHTING CEREMONY This beloved holiday tradition is held annually on Thanksgiving night. The 15-block event encompasses the entire Country Club Plaza and features live music, festive performances and a switch-flipping moment at 7:55 pm that illuminates more than 200,000 jewel-colored lights across the Spanish-inspired district. The Plaza’s illumination is followed by a fireworks display.

November 26. Country Club Plaza.

September 12. Historic West Bottoms.

KANSAS CITY JAPAN FESTIVAL Kansas City Japan Festival, presented by the Heart of AmericanJapan-America Society, offers a wide variety of traditional performances including live music, martial arts, cultural exhibits and workshops. This year’s theme, “Sumo,” includes a wrestling event featuring sumo wrestler Asabenkei and the Shogeki Sumo Team.

PHOTOGR APHY BY SHUT TERSTOCK .COM

October 3. Johnson County Community College.

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Fall Preview Editor's Pick

Kansas City Jazz Orchestra Presents A Charlie Brown Christmas

W WHETHER YOU’RE EIGHT OR 80, A Charlie Brown

Christmas evokes holiday magic for all ages. Underdog Charlie Brown, his drooping pine tree and quirky group of friends are plenty lovable on their own, but it’s the music of jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi that helped make the Peanuts special the charming classic it is.

At this Kansas City Jazz Orchestra production, the score is brought to life with big band arrangements.

With selections like “Christmas Time Is Here” and “Linus and Lucy,” Guaraldi’s music also makes for a great first introduction into jazz, regardless of age.

Performed alongside projected clips from the animated special, this immersive show is a relatively new family tradition in the making, now returning for its fourth year.

For a quick and casual bite beforehand, grab a pie at Buffalo State Pizza Co., located just a couple blocks from the Kauffman Center. You can’t go wrong with Le Royale, the restaurant’s take on a supreme pizza that includes locally made sausage from Scimeca’s.

–NC

↓ GO: December 8. 7 pm.

Helzberg Hall. kauffmancenter.org.

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PHOTOGR APHY BY ANDREW NEWBEGIN

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Family

A Charlie Brown Christmas

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Family 58

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TINY EXPLORERS STROLLER ADVENTURES The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art offers a free monthly program for children under two and their guardians, allowing them to explore and discover art at an early age.

The program includes guided gallery tours and hands-on activities that are meant to spark kids’ curiosity and creativity.

September 11, October 9, November 13, December 11. 10:30 am. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

FREE WEEKEND FUN: MINI TO MONUMENTAL This family-friendly drop-in event includes an arts and crafts activity inspired by the iconic Shuttlecocks sculpture outside of the Nelson-Atkins. The event also includes a comparison of sculptures and small art to understand how scale affects art’s meaning.

September 26. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

MTC KIDS JAM: JOANIE LEEDS The Midwest Trust Center’s Kids Jam offers a family-friendly concert, beginning with arts and crafts followed by a performance by Joanie Leeds. Best known for her work as a children’s musical artist, Leeds is a Grammy Award winner and a John Lennon Songwriting Award finalist. She received a Gold Parents’ Choice Award for her 2010 children’s music album I’m a Rock Star. Leeds has since continued to release music, including two new singles this year titled “Breathe Deep” and “My Seder Plate.”

September 26. Polsky Theatre.

WHAT IF PUPPETS PRESENTS “HOW TO SNAG A SEA MONSTER” This colorful and award-winning puppet show follows the life of an adopted village baby who ultimately saves the day. The show teaches valuable lessons about accepting differences and overcoming one’s fears while also creating a unique visual experience.

KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY: THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL IN CONCERT Kick off the holiday season with Kansas City Symphony’s The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert, where the classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge is reimagined through The Muppets ensemble. This concert includes a side-by-side screening of the film and the musical score performed live by the symphony orchestra with guest conductor Jason Seber.

November 27–29. Helzberg Hall.

What if Puppets Presents “How to Snag a Sea Monster”

Fall Arts Preview / September 2026

PHOTOGR APHY BY TR AVIS YOUNG PHOTOGR APHY

October 7–10. Polsky Theatre.

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Film

Big Stories, Indie Screens The Universal Film Festival brings three days of independent cinema from around the globe to Overland Park.

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FOR MOVIE LOVERS who like discovering a film before everyone else is talking about it, September offers a good reason to head to the theater.

The Universal Film Festival returns this fall, bringing three days of independent filmmaking to AMC Prairiefire in Overland Park. The festival plans roughly 40 screenings, giving audiences a chance to see work from filmmakers whose names might not yet be splashed across multiplex marquees.

Founded in 2007, the festival has developed an increasingly international reach. Organizers say it now receives more than 3,000 submissions annually from filmmakers in more than 130 countries. That global pool means audiences can expect a wide-ranging slate of stories, perspectives and filmmaking styles rather than the usual Hollywood fare.

But part of the fun of a film festival is what happens after the credits roll. The event is designed to bring filmmakers, industry professionals and moviegoers together, giving audiences an opportunity to engage with the people behind the films while providing emerging filmmakers a place to make connections and find an audience.

And that may be the best reason to go. Festivals offer something streaming can't quite replicate: walking into a darkened theater knowing almost nothing about what you're about to see—and occasionally walking out convinced you've just discovered something special.

–DB

↓ GO: September 23–25.

AMC Prairiefire.

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Fall Preview Editor's Pick

The film festival has developed an amazing international reach.

Organizers say it receives more than 3,000 submissions annually from filmmakers in more than 130 countries.

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Fall Preview Editor's Pick

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Film Kansas City Underground Film Festival

TIVOL CINEMA PRESENTS MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS As part of the Nelson-Atkins’ Tivoli cinema series, the museum screens the iconic film Meet Me in St. Louis.

Starring Judy Garland, the film follows the Smith family as they experience sudden change, struggle and excitement in the early 1900s. The movie also features the first aired performance of the classic song “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” sung by Garland.

September 25. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

BOULEVARD DRIVE-IN PRESENTS PRACTICAL MAGIC 2 Take a trip down memory lane at Boulevard Drive-in’s screening of Practical Magic 2. The original film followed witch sisters Sally and Gillian Owens as they overcame an ancient family curse with the help of their mystical aunts. The sequel features members from the original cast, but will focus on a new generation of the Owens family as they discover the 300 year old curse was not entirely broken. The drive-in offers a comfortable outdoor movie experience, offering classic theater snacks for viewers to enjoy as they watch and reminisce.

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KANSAS CITY UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL THE KANSAS CITY UNDERGROUND FILM Festival showcases new, independent movies from both local and international filmmakers. The films come from all genres and are chosen for their thoughtful perspectives. Along with free screenings, the festival organizes Q&As and other educational programming.

September 11–19. Charlotte Street Foundation.

KANSAS CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY PRESENTS TWILIGHT View the vampire cult classic Twilight at this KC Public Library screening. The movie follows protagonist Bella Swan’s move to the Northwest to live with her father, where she learns about the secretive world of vampires and werewolves. There vampire Edward Cullen and werewolf Jacob Black fight for Swan’s mortal heart while a supernatural threat unfolds, putting Bella’s life in danger.

September 18. Kansas City Public Library — Central Library.

ATLAS9'S A9IVERSARY CELEBRATION Atlas9 is celebrating one year of bending reality with A9iversary, a two-night anniversary celebration. Since opening last year in KCK, the 46,000-square-foot immersive art and entertainment experience has invited guests to step inside a transformed 1990s movie theater where forgotten films have escaped the screen, sparking a sense of wonder, nostalgia and curiosity around every corner. The celebration begins Thursday, October 1, with an artists’ panel and Q&A featuring the creative minds behind Atlas9, followed by an opportunity to meet artists inside the spaces they helped create. On Friday, the party moves outdoors for a movie under the stars, featuring a free screening of Back to the Future projected on the side of the building, plus live performances by Quixotic and giveaways. Learn more at atlas9.com.

October 1 & 2. Altas9.

OUTLANDER IN CONCERT In honor of the final season of the hit show, Outlander will be brought to life through a live concert experience.

The show tells the story of Claire Randall, a nurse from 1945 who falls in love with a Highlander, Jamie Fraser, in 1743 Scotland. The show is a tale of romance, drama and time-travel accompanied by Bear McCreary’s rich orchestral score influenced by Scottish folk music.

October 23. Yardley Hall.

Fall Arts Preview / kansascitymag.com

PHOTOGR APHY BY ZDENKO HANOUT INSTAGR AM: @HANOUTPHOTO / HT TPS://W W W.INSTAGR AM.COM/HANOUTPHOTO/

PHOTOGR APHY COURTESY OF THE K ANSAS CIT Y UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL

September 11 & 12. Boulevard Drive-In.

Outlander In Concert

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Rethinking the Villain One of Broadway’s most

talked-about recent plays comes to KCRep, where a group of teenage girls takes another look at an American classic— and the man at its center.

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ANYONE WHO REMEMBERS READING Arthur Miller’s The Crucible in

high school probably remembers John Proctor as the story’s flawed but ultimately heroic leading man. Playwright Kimberly Belflower would like us to reconsider.

Her provocative John Proctor Is the Villain comes to Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s Copaken Stage this October, making KCRep one of the first regional theaters in the country to produce the play following its buzzy 2025 Broadway run.

Set in a small Georgia town, the play centers on five teenage girls studying The Crucible in their high school English class. But as they examine the Salem witch trials—and Proctor’s relationship with teenage Abigail Williams—the conversations begin to hit uncomfortably close to home. Against a backdrop of pop music, friendships and a student feminist club, the girls start questioning the stories they’ve been taught, who gets believed and why some men are so easily cast as heroes.

The play earned seven Tony Award nominations for its Broadway production, which starred Stranger Things actress Sadie Sink. Belflower has described drawing from her own upbringing in Appalachian Georgia while developing the work with college students.

KCRep’s production is directed by Laura Alcalá Baker. Expect something funny, furious and thought-provoking—and perhaps a very different conversation about The Crucible than the one you had in high school.

Keep the evening going downtown with a pre-show stop at BRGR Kitchen + Bar, just around the corner from Copaken Stage in the Power & Light District. As the name suggests, burgers are the main event here, making it an easy, decidedly unfussy dinner before settling in for a play that promises to give you considerably more to think about. Grab a burger, fries and a cocktail, then make the short walk to the theater.

–DB

↓ GO: October 6–25.

Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

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Expect something funny, furious and thought-provokingand perhaps a very differentconversation about The Crucible than the one you had in high school.

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BEETLEJUICE Starlight Theatre presents a night of mischief and fun with its production of Beetlejuice. This musical adaptation of the original Tim Burton film follows the ghostly couple Adam and Barbara Maitland and the melancholic teenager Lydia Deetz as she copes with the death of her mother. Shortly after uncovering the neighborly spirits, a peculiar demon named Beetlejuice attempts to trick Lydia into bringing him into the living world. The show features a touring cast, brilliantly telling the classic tale of Lydia and her fantastical friends.

THE WHO’S TOMMY THE MUSICAL Based on The Who’s 1969 rock opera Tommy, this musical interweaves stories of trauma and healing as Tommy experiences life-altering events. Tommy Walker, a young boy who becomes deaf and blind, discovers his natural talent for playing pinball. His remarkable skill leads him to worldwide fame as he becomes a person of awe and wonder. However, as his attention reaches toward toxic, cultlike appraisal, he realizes the danger of power and misguidedance.

October 2–11. Englewood Arts.

December 2–13. Kansas City Music Hall.

October 14. Midwest Trust Center.

October 2–4. Starlight Theatre.

FRANKENSCHTICK OR IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN Just in time for Halloween, this theatrical production presented by Englewoods Arts is the perfect family event to get in the spooky spirit. The musical takes a silly twist on the original Frankenstein story, featuring a live “Monster Mash.”

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera is a haunting romance between an unexpected pair that stirs up chaos through a dramatic love triangle throughout the Paris Opera House. The PNC Broadway production will be coming to Kansas City this winter under the direction of Harold Prince and musical staging and choreography by Gillian Lynne. The iconic masked phantom along with numerous powerful ballads come together to create one of light opera’s more memorable shows.

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE ADVENTURE OF THE ELUSIVE EAR Adapted from David MacGregor’s 2021 mystery novel Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Elusive Ear, this play of the same name follows Holmes on a new adventure, where he helps the deeply troubled painter Vincent Van Gogh. It’s a comedy and mystery that blends the investigation of a classic detective story with witty dialogue and fast-paced banter.

MacGregor’s play will be performed at the Unicorn Theatre this season.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL KCRep’s annual A Christmas Carol is a Kansas City favorite. Adapted from the Charles Dickens novel, this play follows Ebenezer Scrooge as he discovers the consequences of his selfishness and the power and value of loving relationships.

December 4–6. Spencer Theater.

Phantom of the Opera

JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN In Kimberly Belflower’s John Proctor Is the Villain, students at a rural Georgia high school examine the literary heroes of The Crucible. The students remove the 1953 play from its original setting and instead dissect it through a contemporary lens. Their critique of the play leads to the revelation of John Proctor’s flawed character.

October 6–25. Spencer Theater.

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PHOTOGR APHY BY MAT THEW MURPHY AND EVAN ZIMMERMAN

November 11–29. Unicorn Theatre

Beetlejuice

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PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED BY STARLIGHT THEATER

Theater

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Between Image and Sound: Farhad Ostovani

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AT BETWEEN IMAGE AND SOUND, ART, music and

nature converge. Centered around the Nelson-Atkins’ current exhibition, Farhad Ostovani: Goldberg Variations, the museum welcomes the Paris-based Iranian artist to KC. If you haven’t yet seen Goldberg Variations (which opened in March), be sure to arrive with ample time to peruse the exhibition before the event begins.

A visual interpretation of Johann Sebastian Bach’s compositions of the same name, Ostovani put ink and watercolor to paper for this collection, using botanical imagery of roses, Iran’s national flower.

The multidisciplinary event kicks off with a performance by pianist Dr. Yi-Yang Chen, premiering a new work from local composer Yunfei Lei written just for the occasion. Following the performance, Ostovani will appear alongside his editor, Robert Bemis, and the Nelson-Atkins’ director and CEO, Julián Zugazagoitia.

Together, they’ll discuss the artist’s life, career and his fascination with the intersection between art, harmony and the natural world.

For an art-filled evening, end the night with dinner for two at another Southmoreland museum: The Kemper. Serendipitously, Thursdays are one of only two nights that the museum’s restaurant, Oil on Linen, is open for dinner service. Led by chef Ted Habiger, the rotating menu is inspired by the contemporary institution’s current exhibitions and draws heavily on traditional Mexican cuisine. Although the food menu changes monthly, the house martini—which starts with a fennel and orange-infused vodka and finishes with the proper garnish of a buttery castelvetrano olive—is a reliable mainstay of the cocktail menu. —NC

↓ October 29. 6 pm.

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. nelson-atkins.org.

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DIGITAL PRODUC TION PHOTOGR APHER , DANA ANDERSON

Visual Arts

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Visual Arts SNAP SPACE: THE DISTANCE BETWEEN In Matthew Willie Garcia’s mixed media print installation The Distance Between at the Kansas City Artists Coalition, he explores what it means to live alongside the unknown. Garcia draws from science, science fiction and personal identity to explore space and invites viewers to reflect on their place within a universe that has been expanding for 13.8 billion years. As a printmaker, Garcia has worked throughout the Kansas City area and has had his work featured abroad in the “Sumi-Fusion” Mokuhanga exhibition in Nara, Japan.

September 18-November 6.

3200 Gillham Road.

PLAZA ART FAIR The Plaza Art Fair returns for its 95th year.

Spanning over nine city blocks, the festival features 250 national and local artists, displaying a variety of works including sculptures, canvases and jewelry. This year’s highlights include 2025 Plaza Art Fair artist award winners Leah Evans, Nolan Prohaska, Andy Rogers and many more.

There will be three stages for live performances throughout the fair, as well as food and drink vendors.

September 25-27.

Country Club Plaza.

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CROSSROADS FIRST FRIDAYS The Crossroads First Fridays’ tradition where the neighborhood’s art galleries and retail shops stay open late continues this fall, inviting locals to experience the area’s dynamic arts scene. Along with galleries and retail shops remaining open late into the night, numerous street vendors and live music performers dot the streets for the evening.

October 2 & November 6.

Crossroads Arts District.

BARBARA TAKENAGA: AWESTRUCK New York City-based artist Barbara Takenaga, known for her abstract and meticulous dot paintings and print work, will have her first career retrospective, Awestruck, at the Kemper Museum. Her work is held at institutions across the nation including the The Museum of Modern Art in New York and The Broad in Los Angeles.

The Awestruck exhibit will feature the past 25 years of Takenaga’s work.

October 9–April 11, 2027.

Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art

Christo in his studio with preparatory works for “Wrapped Walk Ways,” New York City, August 1978.

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Worth the Drive Six arts happenings worth leaving the metro for

Kansas City’s arts calendar may be packed, but a few events beyond the metro are worth filling the tank and hitting the road.

AUTUMN & ART For one September weekend, Wichita’s Bradley Fair Parkway becomes a sprawling open-air gallery. The 17th annual Autumn & Art festival brings together more than 80 artists from across the country working in painting, sculpture, photography, jewelry and other mediums. Add live entertainment, food and drinks, and you have a pretty compelling excuse for a weekend in Wichita. Better yet, Saturday and Sunday admission is free.

Wichita, Kansas September 11–13

CRYSTAL BRIDGES ART FAIR Bentonville is already one of the region’s best art road trips, but this weekend makes the case even stronger. Crystal Bridges’ third annual Art Fair brings roughly 100 professional artists to the museum campus, joined this year by emerging college and teen artists. Browse ceramics, textiles, glass, painting, photography, sculpture and more, then stick around for live demonstrations, food and the museum itself—which doubled its gallery space with a major expansion this summer. Admission to the fair is free.

Bentonville, Arkansas October 3–4

Need to work off Thanksgiving dinner?

Omaha’s Orpheum Theater welcomes STOMP for Thanksgiving weekend.

The international percussion sensation turns everyday objects into instruments, with eight performers creating elaborate rhythms using everything from brooms and garbage cans to matchboxes and hubcaps. Nearly three hours north of KC, Omaha makes an easy overnight arts getaway—and the historic Orpheum, built in 1927, provides a suitably grand setting for a show that’s anything but traditional.

Omaha, Nebraska November 27–28

PHOTOGR APHY BY VINCENT CL ARENDON

RED BARN ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL Head northeast for one of Missouri’s longest-running celebrations of regional makers. The 52nd annual Red Barn Arts & Crafts Festival takes over downtown Kirksville with artists and craftspeople filling the streets around its courthouse square. Expect everything from ceramics and jewelry to photography, woodworking and fiber arts, along with food and live entertainment. It’s small-town fall festival charm with a serious artistic streak.

STOMP

18th and Vine Arts Festival

Kirksville, Missouri September 19

FLINT HILLS SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL About two hours west of KC, the Flint Hills Shakespeare Festival turns a wooded hollow outside St. Marys into something straight out of another century. Before the curtain rises, wander the rustic festival village, where artisans, food vendors and performers help set the scene. This year’s production is Shakespeare’s Richard II, performed outdoors under the Kansas sky.

Come early, stay after dark and bring a sweater—the setting is half the magic.

St. Marys, Kansas September 25–27 and October 2–4

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Flint Hills Shakespeare Festival

Crystal Bridges Art Fair

Visual Arts

Autumn & Art

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED

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history in his veins Grimm Tattoo and the birth of the American traditional style

By Hampton Stevens Photography by Laura Morsman

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T “We've been carrying on a family legacy since 1916," Wes says.

“Grimm Tattoo opened in 1916, and there's been a continuous Grimm tattoo in a line from my great-grandfather to grandfather to me. So I think it’s pretty safe to say we're the oldest in the country.”

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Kansas City September 2026

TATTOOING GETS IN THE BLOOD. Literally. When a tattoo

needle pierces human skin, the soluble chemical carriers physically enter the punctured dermal capillaries.

Tattooing gets in the blood metaphorically, too. Especially for a man like Wes Grimm, inheritor of a fabled legacy in the history of American skin art. Tattoos are in his blood, his mind, heart and soul.

Wes is the great-grandson of Bert Grimm, a legendary American tattoo artist who helped develop and popularize the American traditional style. Wes has dedicated his life to preserving and expanding that family legacy.

We met Wes on a blistering day at his namesake storefront shop (1613 Genessee St., KCMO) in a revitalized stretch of Kansas City’s West Bottoms. Wearing a pale, long-sleeve Western shirt, a silver bolo tie and black cowboy hat, Wes relayed his family’s story and their role in the development of skin art.

It’s a picaresque tale, rich with legend and quirky bits of Americana. Bert, for instance, once wrestled a bear. He's also said to have tattooed outlaws like Bonnie and Clyde and famed gangster "Pretty Boy" Floyd, among others.

Those sorts of anecdotes, though, are just the window dressing. The heart of Bert’s remarkable story is the rise of a distinctly American artform.

"We've been carrying on a family legacy since 1916," Wes says. “Grimm Tattoo opened in 1916, and there's been a continuous Grimm tattoo in a line from my great-grandfather to grandfather to me. So I think it’s pretty safe to say we're the oldest in the country.”

In addition to being an active tattoo parlor, the place is a museum. Its long, narrow space is covered with framed newspaper stories, historic photographs, old tattooing equipment and, most of all, flash art.

The flash is key. One cannot understand the history of tattooing without understanding flash sheets. Pre-drawn collections of tattoo designs displayed on a page or poster, hung on walls or bound in books, flash sheets act as a sort of visual menu, offering ready-made art that clients can choose from.

At Grimm, the flash sheets are legion and ancient, some nearly a century old. They are lovingly displayed and treated with the same sort of reverence that a scholar of the Impressionists might have for the works of Pissarro or Monet.

The collection documents the family’s experience in Chicago, St. Louis, Long Beach, Calif., and finally Kansas City.

And all of it stems from a pre-teen runaway.

That would be, of course, Bert. Born in Springfield, Mo., in 1900 as one of a dozen children, Bert ran away to join the circus at the tender age of 12. And that was just the start. By 14, young Bert was covered in ink from neck to ankles—a walking canvas before “canvas” was even a term of the trade. That led to a new gig. Bert became the Tattooed Boy of Borneo, a sideshow attraction, replete with a colorful backstory about being kidnapped as an infant and ritually inked by an indigenous tribe. It was pure showmanship— unabashed American hucksterism. And it worked.

At 16, Bert took another step into legend. Armed with raw confidence and a rogue's education, he opened his very first tattoo parlor in Chicago. That was 1916. Not long after the door opened, another master of American mythmaking walked through: Buffalo Bill himself. It was just a year before the American soldier and showman’s death, and he hired the young tattoo artist to work in a Wild West show.

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The circuses, Wes believes, are key to understanding where Bert’s style formed. He traces the birth of American traditional directly to the rebellious and entrepreneurial culture of the circus trains.

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PRETTY AND PRACTICAL

TRUSTING THE PROCESS

The primary bedroom is where Lindstrom and the homeowner took the biggest leap of faith. Lindstrom wanted to drench the room in a rich chocolate brown and paint the ceiling the same color.

"So many people are afraid of brown because they've had to take it out before," Lindstrom says. The homeowner was hesitant, especially about the ceiling. But Lindstrom held firm. "I think we needed to paint the ceiling to really see the effect of the tray and to make it feel updated." The room's beautiful trim and molding were kept cream, and the vast wall of windows keeps it from ever feeling cave-like.

The carpet, a splurge, was a textural, warm-toned pattern that the homeowner fell in love with on the spot. An oversized bird print

Lindstrom returns to the same belief in each of her projects: A home has to work as hard as it looks. "Our motto is always to make it beautiful but also functional," Lindstrom says. "Some people make it beautiful, but then it doesn't function.

It's really important to us that it be both—that it helps make their day-to-day life easier but also brings them joy because it's so pretty." graces the wall above a custom bench, and it’s owner never loved were removed. Instead of slapping on some drywall in the empty space, one of her favorite pieces in the house.

In the hearth room, a set of built-ins the home-

It was Wes' grandfather, Gene, who brought the Grimm tradition to KC. “He was a Kansas City guy, married a Kansas City girl, and the grandfather and great-grandfather brought me into it,” Wes says.

The family put down roots in the historic Northeast before moving to the suburbs of south KC. Wes spent his youth steeped in the business, soaking up the history, often trailing his grandfather to motorcycle rallies, races and swap meets to help run the family's mobile shop.

In 1980, as a young man, Wes was working on a river towboat, spending 30 days on the water and 30 days off. Late that summer, he learned that the Grimm tattoo had sprouted a new branch in Midtown.

“I got off the boat—I think it was in August—in Sugar Creek,” Wes says. “I got a cab, told him to stop at 7-Eleven. I went in and got a newspaper and a half pint of Jack Daniels. I came out and opened the newspaper.” There was a picture of Bert and Gene, shirtless and arm-in-arm, announcing their new shop at 38th and Main streets.

“That's where I began tattooing,” Wes says. There, a Kansas City institution was born.

His idea for the Bert Grimm Tattoo Museum was hatched decades later, early in the pandemic.

The timing was lucky. In April 2023, after more than four decades in Midtown, a devastating fire totaled the shop on Main Street.

The good news is that Wes had been preserving his family’s legacy for years, amassing a huge collection of his great-grandfather’s memorabilia, including old equipment, photos of Bert and other famed tattoo artists, and, of course, those historic sheets of flash art.

Mere months later, the new shop, replete with the added moniker of “museum,” was born on Genessee Street. The parlor has since become a mecca not just for locals but for folks from across the country who want to understand the history of this uniquely American artform. They can see that history, quite simply, because of Wes Grimm’s passion, foresight and dedication. The man can’t help himself. Tattoos are in his blood.

Our motto is always to make it beautiful but also functional," Lindstrom says.

Bert bounced between circuses and Wild West spectacles until 1926, when he established the very first permanent tattoo shop in St. Louis.

“He was there for 30 years, then moved to Long Beach, California,” Wes says.

Out West, Bert thrived. He eventually came to own six shops at the Pike, a sort of West Coast version of Coney Island, and played a huge role in developing what would come to be called the American traditional style.

That style, distinct and instantly recognizable, was rooted in the working classes: the mill workers and machinists, roustabouts and renegades.

Heavy on primary colors, American traditional is famous for bold, black outlines, flat fields with relatively limited shading and an unapologetically cartoonish visual lexicon—including lots of military insignia and nautical motifs, along with skulls, dice, cards, hearts, daggers and tons of pop culture iconography like comic book characters and pin-up girls.

The circuses, Wes believes, are key to understanding where Bert’s style formed. He traces the birth of American traditional directly to the rebellious and entrepreneurial culture of the circus trains.

Before mass media, when fun rolled into town on iron tracks, Wes says the circus was a portal to the exotic and forbidden.

“Everybody'd get to see the naked lady with tattoos,” Wes says. “They'd get to bet on a prize fight, get to do all these adult things.”

A day later, the whole spectacle would fold up and move to a different town. “So it was sort of tolerated that way,” he says.

Tattoo artists traveled with these troupes, trading tips, techniques and flash art while adapting to the evolving desires of their clientele. Over the decades, innovating and learning from each other, they ultimately codified the aesthetic, creating an entirely new branch of American folk art. That art form, like another great American creative achievement—rock 'n' roll—eventually rose from the working class to widespread, mainstream respectability.

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More Than 10,000 Pieces of Sports Memorabilia

People visit Chappell’s to see the sports memorabilia but always come back for the food - Jim Chappell.

Named one of the nation's best sports bars - Sports Illustrated.

Chappell's Restaurant and Sports Museum 323 Armour Rd, North Kansas City, MO 64116 ❙ 816.421.0002 ❙ chappellskc.com

PHOTOGR APHY BY BONJWING LEE

EATING AND DRINKING WELL IN KANSAS CITY

More Than Pie

Megan Garrelts gives her beloved baked goods a home of their own

By Tyler Shane

signature colors, and a large counter wraps around an The Midwestern restaurant itself isn’t expanding, but owner and open kitchen, featuring a coffee bar serving Onyx Coffee Lab. There’s award-winning pastry chef Megan Garrelts has officially opened Corna display for pastries and also a refrigerated grab-and-go shelf showflower Baked Goods, a bakery, right next door. Garrelts’ pastries and casing a variety of treats, such as Garrelts’ dessert sauces, canned cocktails and more savory concoctions like sandwiches. The west pies have long been popular staples at Rye, and the new bakery’s large wall features a blown-up image of one of Garrelts’ mom’s recipes. kitchen will also supply the restaurant, allowing Rye to expand its Her mother’s recipes are the inspiration behind Cornflower Baked dessert menu.

If you’re one of those devoted customers who has anxiously Goods’ offerings, meaning they’re meant to be comforting, appetizing waited on hold to place a pre-order for a Rye Thanksand feel like home. giving pie, you already know how delicious Garrelts’ Garrelts was a James Beard Award semifinalist wares are. When it comes to her new bakery, think for Outstanding Pastry Chef, and her work has been beyond pies. Lemon meringue squares, brown butfeatured in Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, The Wall Street GO: 10555 Mission Road, Leawood. ter peach cake, rich chocolate brownies and more Journal and Saveur. Cornflower Baked Goods is a natural cornflowerbakedgoods.com. will grace the menu. The Mission Farms space is next step for one of Kansas City’s most accomplished Monday–Friday, 7 am–5 pm; washed with white and royal blue, the bakery’s pastry chefs and has been a long time coming.

Saturday–Sunday, 8 am–4 pm.

RYE’S LEAWOOD LOCATION has expanded. Well, kind of. Okay, not really.

↓

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At Beirut Taco, Maher Chebaro builds on generations of culinary exchange between Lebanon and Mexico with shawarma burritos, kibbe queso fundido and halal tacos

By Tyler Shane Photography by Zach Bauman

September 2026 2026 84 Kansas City July

REVIEW

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DON’T CALL MAHER CHEBARO’S new restaurant off 39th Street

“fusion.” And don’t call it “Middle Eastern” either. You may, however, refer to Beirut Taco as “Lebanese” or “Mexican” or maybe even “Mexi-teranean,” Chebaro’s own term for his style of cooking.

The restaurant is one of several in a current wave of Lebanese spots opening throughout Kansas City. Last year saw the opening of two distinct Lebanese restaurants: Al Beik off State Line Road and Nour’s in Midtown. The lamb and chicken shawarma burritos at Beirut Taco might seem familiar; maybe you have the slightest inkling you’ve devoured similar tortilla-wrapped fare at Nour’s. If the feeling resonates, you have. Chebaro helped his brother, Marwan, open Nour’s last year, and seeing the success of those burritos spurred Beirut Taco, his new 39th Street lovechild born from the cuisines of his Levantine homeland and the country he swears he belonged to in another life, Mexico.

Chebaro has already tested this multicultural menu at his restaurant El Cedro, a Lebanese taqueria that sits in the Middle Eastern grocery strip of Brooklyn’s Atlantic Avenue in New York City. Both Chebaro and Marwan opened restaurants throughout KC in the ’80s, like Blvd Café, Cafe Rumi and Tribal Grill. After some time away from KC’s restaurant scene, the brothers are back, and their considerable expertise is evident in polished atmospheres (renowned designer John O’Brien helmed Nour’s interior) and unabashed menus intent on avoiding the generic “Middle Eastern” category while standing firmly rooted in Lebanon. Beirut Taco, however, might be the first Lebanese-Mexican restaurant in the city.

The restaurant doesn’t look all that different from its former life as Zhoug Mediterranean. The layout is the same. Chebaro even kept the same seats. But murals by Lebanese illustrator Tracy Chahwan and some new tiling behind the bar give the space its own style. The restaurant is comfortable, but it’s the menu that does all the talking.

At Beirut Taco, ceviche is sharpened with the bite of a parsley-mint studded taboule, a falafel is frittered to the color of a 63% chocolate bar then spiced with chipotle, and eggplant is worked into salsa.

For the most part, dishes take the shape of Mexican foods and are given the zesty, earthy tang of the Mediterranean. Sumac, harissa, toum and tahini are worked into flautas, esquites, tacos and more.

But not arbitrarily so. For Chebaro, who grew up watching lucha

libre wrestling matches in Beirut (beyond the mural, you can peep framed photos of beefy masked luchadors on the east wall), Mexican and Lebanese flavors speak the same language. It’s actually surprising that tacos árabes and al pastor don’t make an appearance on Beirut Taco’s menu, both of which are the product of Lebanese immigrants bringing their vertical rotisserie cooking methods to the coasts of Yucatán, Veracruz and Puebla in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Kansas City has already seen chefs acknowledge that history, like when T’ähä opened on the Plaza in 2024 and owner Jose Gomez described his lamb barbacoa as an homage to the legacy of Lebanese influence in Mexico. Beirut Taco is not advertised as such, but aside from the carne asada tacos with tender outskirt steak, the rest of the food is halal, which is why you’ll see Muslim families pushing tables together for Sunday brunch and why tacos al pastor might never see the light of day on Chebaro’s menu.

The mezzes, usually considered the starting point for Middle Eastern and Mediterranean meals, are so wonderfully substantial at Beirut Taco that you could very well contain yourself to this section of the menu and not experience FOMO when you see the plate of chicken harissa tinga tacos being served to the neighboring table (don’t hold me to this). Begin with the kibbe queso fundido, which, albeit delicious, is admittedly misleading. Instead of a cast iron of bubbling, stringy cheese, the gooey Oaxacan queso is served in kibbe—crisp nutty croquettes made of bulgur wheat, beef and poblano peppers (think falafel’s more savory, cheese-filled cousin). You’ll want to drag the kibbe in its accompanying avocado, tahini and cabbage mixture for every bite. Order the hummus too, which comes in both its traditional unscathed chickpea form and another infused with chipotle, so you can experience the ultimate testament to any Lebanese restaurant. It’s the real deal, velvety and smooth. Is chipotle an almost all-too-easy spice to reach for when looking to dub a dish a Mexican crossover?

Of course it is. But Chebaro isn’t trying to rework, reinvent or rewire what is already delicious. The beauty of Beirut Taco is in the simplicity: These flavors have shared a dialogue for generations. Enjoy the flavor combinations when tasting flautas spiced with sumac, esquites grounded with za’atar and a pea-green house jalapeño salsa zapped with cardamom and caraway.

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To be fair, the aforementioned hummus is also equally delicious because Chebaro imports many ingredients, like extra virgin olive oil, tahini and pickles, straight from Lebanon. For some of the Mexican ingredients, like tortillas, it seems KC has plenty to offer. The burritos are wrapped in Caramelo’s elite Sonoran-style flour tortillas (made with avocado oil), while the tacos and chips are made with the corn variety from the Northeast’s Las Marias Tortilleria.

If you’re unable to resist beyond the mezzes, spring for either of the lamb tacos. One is made with the shoulder cut and the other blended with chorizo; both are delicious. Take a chance with the seared halloumi cheese tacos served with watermelon salsa, but eat it while it’s still warm, and order a side of hashweh rice, which is so grounded with savory aromatics that all I could think of is how it should be a staple postpartum meal. The cocktails are batched and good but probably not what’s drawing you to the restaurant. Focus on filling your belly at Beirut Taco, then afterwards, have your fun down the street at Hi-Dive Lounge or Goat & Rabbit.

After you’ve finished your desserts of churros, walnut baklava or maybe a scoop of saffron pistachio ice cream from Fairway Creamery,

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your voice might be getting strained from projecting across the table.

At its busiest, the restaurant is noisy. Chebaro says he’s working on it.

He’s also working on brunch, now available on Sundays from 10 am to 3 pm. This is where those delicate sweeter Lebanese flavors get to be seen beyond the usual dessert section—mainly in the pancakes, which are topped with crispy strands of kunafa and drizzled with a cardamom maple syrup. On the more savory side, the red shakshuka ranchero remains the pinnacle of morning meals, although you won’t regret giving the nachos with stewed fava beans and chickpea verde a chance.

Burritos and tacos might make up a large portion of the main menu right now, but Chebaro says he’s ready to start testing some boundaries. The restaurant will soon implement specials. This way, Chebaro can get all of his seemingly endless ideas onto the plate and survey customer’s responses. Currently, he’s working on a menudo-like version of kroush, a traditional Lebanese dish where spiced rice, meat and chickpeas are stuffed into tripe, or animal stomach, and sewn to slow-cook in water.

REVIEW

Burritos and tacos might make up a large portion of the main menu right now, but Chebaro says he’s ready to start testing some boundaries. The restaurant will soon implement specials.

kansascitymag.com September 2026

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DRINK

Spiced and Spiked

Boulevard Brewing Company’s latest limited-edition cider, a collaboration with Louisburg Cider Mill, doesn’t mess with perfection

By Nina Cherry BROWSE THE LIQUOR STORE coolers and you’ll find plenty of creative

takes on hard ciders. Many breweries are branching out far beyond apple, creating fermented concoctions with fruits spanning from yuzu to pineapple, and infusing the beverage with spicy and herbal twists.

Boulevard Brewing Company’s latest limited-edition cider, however, is rather traditional. The brewery is known to craft some daring flavor profiles, but for this collaboration with Louisburg Cider Mill, Boulevard doesn’t mess with perfection.

For many Kansas Citians, Louisburg Cider Mill’s apple cider has become a staple of the fall season, whether you enjoy visiting the farm to get your fill of cinnamon-sugar dusted donuts or reliably grab a gallon from grocery store shelves. Spiked and spiced, Boulevard’s Old

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Fashioned Hard Apple Cider starts with the Kansas farm’s freshly milled and pressed apples, preserving the fruit at its prime. Pouring amber and a little hazy, the cider is sharp and lively at 6.9% ABV. We recommend pairing the slightly sweet beverage with a spicy bowl of chili and a slice of cornbread for an unpretentious, cozy and Midwesterner-approved autumn meal. But it also goes well with a spread of dips, chicken wings and a football game.

The hard cider is now available (while supplies last) in six-packs at grocery stores and on tap handles around the metro—and of course, at Boulevard Brewing Beer Hall (2534 Madison Ave, KCMO) in the Westside. boulevard.com.

PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY TROZZOLO COMMUNICATIONS GROUP

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PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY OVERLAND PARK CONVENTION CENTER

To strive for a more sustainable model, the Convention Center is expanding its garden from five to 15 raised beds and also composts.

Last year, the Convention Center composted more than 65,000 pounds of food waste.

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P E R F E C T DAY

Breaking Convention

At the Overland Park Convention Center, Chef David Ruiz is rewriting the rules of large-scale catering

By Tyler Shane

WHEN IT COMES TO CONVENTION CENTER DINING, where a thousand people might feast at once, no one is expecting a gourmet meal. But Overland Park Convention Center’s Executive Chef David Ruiz is looking to raise expectations.

Ruiz, an award-winning chef, is like most of his peers—he sources ingredients locally as much as he can and is into sustainable practices and weird fermenting methods. But unlike most top-tier chefs, Ruiz caters around 200 large-scale events a year. However, he doesn’t let his high-pressure job stop his creative culinary pursuits or diminish his product.

Ruiz, who was working at restaurants in Albuquerque before he arrived at the Convention Center in 2024, is the first to admit that catering isn’t exactly the sexiest work, especially for a chef with a resume that includes a James Beard Foundation competition win, a Food Network victory, Fine Dining Chef of the Year honors and appearances on Chopped and Guy Fieri’s Family Road Trip.

Cooking on such a large scale means efficiency becomes not only the ultimate goal but also a necessity when hundreds of plates need to hit the table simultaneously, often leaving innovation and flavor on the back burner. Sure, there are compromises that must be made, Ruiz admits, but the meals can still be show-stopping with a little creativity.

Ruiz estimates that about 40 percent of the ingredients he uses are locally sourced, primarily from the Overland Park Farmers Market and City Market. Eggs, chicken and beef cuts come from Five Mile Farms, the regenerative farm in Lacygne, Kansas, while cheese comes from Hemme Brothers Creamery, vanilla beans from Madagascar are sourced through Sava Trading Company, and chili crunch oil comes from Burro—just to name a few.

With all these quality ingredients, it’s important not to compromise them, which can easily happen when food is held in a heated hotel pan for hours at a time. One of his favorite tools is a commercial tum-

D AV I D R U I Z ’ S P E R F E C T D AY I N KC Mile Marker: I start my morning with a 10-mile run. I run through Columbus Park and Cliff Drive, and it’s just beautiful.

I don’t listen to music. It’s a rare moment of quiet when pots and pans aren’t banging around.

Rise & Dine: I’m heading to Dear Donna.

I really love what Johnny and Helen and Joe are doing.

I love their breakfast and mortadella sandwich.

Homegrown: I’ll spend some time in my garden. I have seven different peppers growing, like New Mexican Hatch chiles. I’m also growing cucumbers, pineapple, sage, basil, lemongrass.

Lots of herbs.

Happy Hour: Jade Jaguar just came out with a new menu. There’s this drink, La Palma. It’s fantastic.

Final Course: Of course I’m having dinner at Anjin. I’m looking forward to that ice cream dessert with extra toppings.

bler, which uses vacuum pressure to pull marinades deep into meat fibers, creating more flavorful and consistent results. Tools like this are a game changer when cooking large batches of food, he says.

So, how does Ruiz and his team take a common catering dish—say chicken breast—and take it to the next level?

“We’re going to marinate that chicken in black garlic that we fermented, then take bones from Five Mile Farms and make our own chicken demi-glace and reduce it,” Ruiz says. “Then we’re gonna juice pomegranates with our beautiful juicer and make a pomegranate demi-glace. So, that dish is now locally made with our fermented ingredients, and it becomes something completely different, but it’s still a chicken.”

To strive for a more sustainable model, the Convention Center is expanding its garden from five to 15 raised beds and also composts. Last year, the Convention Center composted more than 65,000 pounds of food waste. Ruiz and his team look for ways to use every ingredient as efficiently as possible. For example, carrots are peeled, and those peels are then dehydrated and turned into a powder and used as a sweetener in salads or marinades.

Along with admitting that banquet work isn’t sexy on paper, Ruiz does not shy away from saying this is the most intense job he’s ever had. That’s why the Convention Center is creating Cultivate, a video series showcasing the behind-the-scenes work that goes into feeding thousands of guests, all from Ruiz’s perspective.

One episode might show Ruiz and his team testing, curing, pickling, fermenting and prepping for an event.

In another, he might be on the hunt for the best tortillas in the city to use for breakfast burritos. The Youtube series is slated to premier in September. “We’re not really sure where it’s going, but we want to show people what we’re doing here,” Ruiz says.

Ruiz has also started a chef dinner series at the Convention Center that is open to the public. If you want to check it out visit, opconventioncenter.com. kansascitymag.com September 2026

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’CUE CARD

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZACH BAUMAN

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Grandson Prepares to Carry on a KC Barbecue Legacy

By Jill Wendholt Silva WITH A TIP OF HIS BLACK BOWLER HAT, Zach Krause, 26, is poised to carry on

his 84-year-old grandfather’s barbecue legacy.

Krause’s grandfather is Ardie Davis, a folklorist, cookbook author, Barbecue News columnist and one of the founders of the Kansas City Barbeque Society, a nonprofit organization with 16,000 members worldwide that promotes competition barbecue and sponsors more than 400 sanctioned contests per year.

94 Kansas City September 2026

What started as a hobby of collecting bottles of barbecue sauces turned into a contest on his Roeland Park patio to choose the best in the land. That event evolved into The American Royal World Series of Sauce Contest.

But when Davis was inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame in 2016, Krause realized he didn’t know that much about the culinary sport.

“It wasn’t until Ardie and I started doing a bunch of barbecue stuff that I was like, ‘The people are super cool and the food’s incredible,” Krause says.

At 17, the minimum age to earn a KCBS judging certification, Krause leaned in and learned how to identify excellent competition ‘cue. “The example I always bring up: People love fall-off-the-bone ribs,” Krause says. “It’s a great thing for cooks to make, but for competitions that’s overcooked.”

Davis helped write the judging criteria, as well as compose an oath to swear by: I do solemnly swear objectively and subjectively to evaluate each Barbeque meat that is presented to my eyes, my nose, my hands and my palate. I accept my duty to be an Official KCBS Certified Judge, so that truth, justice, excellence in Barbeque and the American Way of Life may be strengthened and preserved forever.

Davis became recognized for delivering the oath while dressed as his barbecue alter ego Remus Powers, PhB., wearing the costume of a 1900s butcher, including a bowler hat, bowtie, an apron Davis bedazzled with rib bones and a sauce tasting spoon on a string.

Shy and soft-spoken, Davis originally created his character and barbecue rituals to overcome social anxiety.

“Creating this character in this world helped do that,” Davis says. “You meet people that you wouldn’t meet otherwise, from different parts of the country, different professions. You know, it’s opened so many doors.

I wouldn’t have met Julia Child. I wouldn’t have met Willie Nelson.”

As Davis finishes writing his 12th cookbook, due out in 2027, he continues to deliver the oath at The American Royal World Series of Barbecue. But he has passed the torch to his grandson for out-of-town engagements, including Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue in Lynchburg, Tenn., a pinnacle of achievement for many teams.

“Performing on stage while you’re in a costume is one thing but everyone’s staring at me, and repeating after me,” Krause says. “I’m just a regular, random person until people find out, ‘Oh, that’s Ardie’s grandson.’ But I’m starting to build my own connections with people rather than just being Ardie’s shadow.”

While a student at the University of Kansas, Krause proudly wore the Big Jay mascot costume and since graduating has continued to serve as the Sporting KC’s backup mascot, Blue.

Now he’s working on his own barbecue costume.

“I think rituals endure beyond us,” Davis says as he poses for a photo with Krause, who wears a twin bowler, a hallowed piece of the legacy his grandson vows will live on.

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BITES

Newsfeed

What’s new in Kansas City food and drink

By Tyler Shane

El Pollo Rey Gets National Recognition

El Pollo Rey

PHOTOGR APHY BY Z ACH BAUMAN

Parlor Says Goodbye to the Crossroads

One of Kansas City’s first food halls, Parlor, announced its abrupt closing on social media last month.

Having opened in 2018, the East Crossroads food hall housed seven independent restaurants, including Elephant Wings, Sido’s Mediterranean Cuisine and Mother Clucker. The statement posted to social media cited a “significant shift in visitation” and a changing Crossroads environment but offered few details.

Parlor closed just days later, on Aug. 22, leaving the seven restaurants to find new homes.

Its closure follows Strang Chef Collective’s 2024 shuttering, leaving Kansas City’s food-hall scene considerably thinner than it was just a few years ago.

Art’s Gets a New Name

After more than 60 years as Art’s Mexican Products, the beloved KCK-based tortilla and Mexican foods company has a new name: Art’s Molino & Market.

The brand was acquired by James Beard Award-winning Yoli Tortilleria owners Marissa and Mark Gencarelli in 2022, and

the name change comes with a fresh look and new packaging. But don’t fret if you’ve been a longtime customer—the Gencarellis say they plan to keep the same recipes and techniques.

As part of the brand’s expansion, Art’s will join Yoli’s tortillas in 53 Whole Foods locations.

Another Fairway Restaurant Deal Falls Through

Plans for a new restaurant at the long-vacant former Houlihan’s in Fairway have fallen through, putting one of Johnson County’s most closely watched restaurant properties back on the market.

W. VinZant Restaurants, the local group behind Gram & Dun and Louie’s Wine Dive, had planned to open American Fire, an upscale American restaurant, at the site.

The group ultimately decided not to move forward after a lengthy and complicated development process, despite having completed the city’s approval process.

The former Houlihan’s has been vacant for more than five years, with multiple redevelopment plans falling through. For now, the property is once again available.

Thanks to the New York Times, KCK’s El Pollo Rey has officially joined the ranks of some of the country’s best Mexican restaurants.

The Kansas Avenue restaurant, whose menu essentially comes down to two choices—a whole or half chicken— made the Times’ list of the 41 best Mexican restaurants in the United States, which even included a few Michelin-starred spots.

For more than two decades, El Pollo Rey has kept things simple, serving wood-fired chicken, warm tortillas, rice, beans and salsa from its relaxed Kansas Avenue location. With the new recognition, however, the restaurant has reportedly been selling out of chicken early on some days, so locals may want to get their pollo early.

The nod is a huge win for Kansas City’s Mexican food scene, one many of us already knew was among the best in the country.

Pho & Boil Brings Vietnamese-Cajun Fare to Overland Park

If you didn’t think a bowl of pho and a seafood boil had much in common, a new restaurant, Pho & Boil, invites you to think again. The Viet-Cajun restaurant plans to open in September in Overland Park’s former Smoke Town BBQ space (7702 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Overland Park).

Owner Ken Pham says the menu will center on traditional Vietnamese pho, with other dishes including shaking beef, papaya salad, spring rolls and boba teas.

On the Cajun side, diners can expect boiled shrimp and crab, seasonal crawfish, and fried shrimp, with gumbo and jambalaya planned down the road.

The restaurant is inspired by Pham’s family’s background in Vietnamese cooking and his connections to New Orleans.

We at Kansas City magazine have noted an upsurge in Vietnamese restaurants in our city, and this Viet-Cajun mashup is a welcomed addition. kansascitymag.com September 2026

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T H E S TO R I E S B E H I N D K A N S A S C I T Y ’ S M O S T E Y E- C ATC H I N G S T R U C T U R E S

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZACH BAUMAN

surreal estate

Round About

This decades-old kinetic sculpture has become a Crossroads icon

By Nicole Kinning OVER THE DECADES, a glossy black sphere sitting outside the Freight House in the

Crossroads has become a landmark loved by all.

You’ve passed it on your way to Jack Stack, Lidia’s or Grünauer. Created by local sculptor D.F. Miller, Rotary Sphere was commissioned as part of the Freight House’s transformation from an abandoned rail depot into one of the Crossroads’ most iconic buildings.

Some people lovingly refer to Rotary Sphere as a giant cake pop; others say it looks like a Poké Ball. Whatever your interpretation, it’s become one of the city’s most recognizable public artworks, drawing even more attention than usual this summer as World Cup visitors flooded downtown.

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“I’ve always been kind of a minimalist,” Miller says.

“It kind of is what it is.” The sculpture embraces that open-ended philosophy. Rather than create a sculpture with a prescribed meaning, Miller prefers to let viewers experience it on their own terms. “Artists are so fond of saying, ‘It’s like this’ or ‘It’s like that,’” he says. “Can we accept things for what they are?”

The sculpture, installed in the late 1990s, was part of a larger vision for this part of the Freight House. When developer Dan Clothier purchased the long-abandoned 1887 railroad building, neighboring Union Station’s future remained uncertain. Clothier’s goal was to breathe new life into the historic property through adaptive reuse.

“We were looking for ways to ingratiate ourselves to the surrounding community and also draw people to the building,” he says.

Working alongside architecture firm El Dorado, Clothier commissioned three Kansas City Art Institute artists to create site-specific works throughout the property. Miller designed Rotary Sphere, Jim Woodfill created the illuminated signal sculptures that glow above the parking lot at night, and Karen McCoy contributed a series of sculptural “ear trumpets.” “[The art] became kind of our signage,” Clothier says.

“We never really had a sign that blasted out ‘Freight House’ as much as just having the lights at night and the sphere. It just sort of set a mood for the kind of crowd we hoped to attract.” It worked: According to Clothier, the Freight House’s restaurants draw millions in annual sales.

For Miller, the commission was unlike a typical public art project. Although the sculpture is accessible to everyone, it’s privately owned by Clothier. Nearly three decades later, it continues to spin on its original motor after a recent restoration that Miller helped oversee.

What surprises Miller the most about the piece is the memories that people have attached to the sculpture.

From World Cup gatherings at Grünauer to rehearsal dinners at Lidia’s to a healthy flow of Jack Stack visitors every day, Rotary Sphere has become a sort of milestone marker.

“I’ve been told about people returning to the Freight House with children of their own after posing for photos in front of the sculpture decades earlier,” he says. 101 W. 22nd St., KCMO

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